The war in Ukraine, sanctions, and the Russian war economy

Russia's war in Ukraine has now been going on for almost five years, with no end in sight. Western sanctions have hurt the Russian war economy, and it is suffering from growing structural fatigue, but the country is accelerating its attacks on Ukraine. The sanctions imposed by the US Congress under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act have recently been rolled back by President Donald Trump's decision to buy Russian diesel and waive sanctions. The European Union is increasing its military, economic, and humanitarian support for Ukraine, but will it be enough? What is the actual state of the Russian war economy, and what can we expect for the upcoming winter? Will the US midterm elections change Washington's position on the war? And with pro-Russia parties on the rise in Europe, will the European Union hold strong?

HOST

Cecilia Malmström
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)

GUESTS

Elina Ribakova 
Nonresident Senior Fellow, PIIE; Nonresident Fellow, Bruegel; Director, International Program, Kyiv School of Economics

Thomas Wright 
Senior Fellow, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy and Technology, Brookings Institution; Former Senior Director for Strategic Planning, National Security Council