Yevhen Magda: No sanctions isolate Russia from the global economy
20 June 2024 16:10
EXCLUSIVE
Today, the European Union approved the 14th package of sanctions against Russia. According to the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, “this package provides new targeted measures and maximises the impact of existing sanctions by closing loopholes”. There are no specific details about the sanctions yet.
As reported by 
, the EU had problems agreeing on the next sanctions package, as it was blocked by Germany.
In particular, Berlin demanded that the planned rule on the liability of company branches for violating the sanctions regime in respect of certain goods be limited or cancelled altogether. Obviously, the German government in this situation was defending the interests of those German firms that could be held liable for violating the sanctions. That is, those firms that trade with Russia in sanctioned goods and replenish the Russian budget.
[Kommersant asked political scientist Yevgeny Magda whether sanctions could knock Russia out of the global economy and thus deprive it of the resource base for a full-scale war.
“This is impossible. Because Russia is too big and too integrated into the global economy. And sanctions hit, among other things, the interests of those who impose them. Therefore, this is a completely unrealistic scenario. This must be understood, because it is a reality,”
– says the political scientist.
Magda cited Germany as an example, which is trying to balance between defending its national interests and imposing anti-Russian sanctions. Most of Ukraine’s powerful partners are in a similar situation, he said.
Therefore, according to the political scientist, the West should not expect a total cessation of cooperation with Russia and an absolute sanctions blockade.
“There will be no radical action plan, simply because there are different interests. Someone has them in one area, someone in another. It is simply impossible,”
– yevhen Magda believes.
