[GK3]

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/01/trump-ir...tions.html

This relates to Ukraine in that it makes clear that the current US administration will use "secondary" sanctions against other nations to achieve its aims. These types of sanctions do carry considerable diplomatic risk, but in the case of Iran it was deemed worthwhile. Does that mean a similar sanction could be forthcoming in the near future against Russia? If so, I hope the US laid the groundwork by ensuring at least the "larger" targets of the sanctions have a path to alternate supplies at reasonable prices. With the increase of both OPEC and US production, that should be possible. China may not change its behavior  and keep buying from Russia anyway. India would be the nation the US should "work with" to hit Russian oil exports.

I would think that anything that would reduce Russian revenues from natural gas and petroleum could have the biggest negative impact on their economy which probably is fairly stressed at this point.  Seems  likely we might work to do this best through India. but I wonder how much US Influence Indians can tolerate?  Last I read I think China bought 45% of its petroleum from Russia and India 38 percent.  Turkey and Europe were at 6 percent.  Loss of half its sales to India would be about a 22 Billion dollar hit to the Russia's economy. That would hurt I would think.
Probably a pipe dream, but I think anything we can do that hits the Russian Economy hard is a big plus for Ukraine.

Another add, reports from Russia reflect that they are having to crack down on draft evaders and are resorting to "illegal" actions under Russian law to fulfill the latest draft call of 160,000 men which happens to be the approximate losses they have suffered the first 4 months of this year. No matter who you are I don't see how you can continue to suffer losses at a rate that would amount to almost 700,000 by the end of the year.

[GK3]

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/01/trump-ir...tions.html

This relates to Ukraine in that it makes clear that the current US administration will use "secondary" sanctions against other nations to achieve its aims. These types of sanctions do carry considerable diplomatic risk, but in the case of Iran it was deemed worthwhile. Does that mean a similar sanction could be forthcoming in the near future against Russia? If so, I hope the US laid the groundwork by ensuring at least the "larger" targets of the sanctions have a path to alternate supplies at reasonable prices. With the increase of both OPEC and US production, that should be possible. China may not change its behavior  and keep buying from Russia anyway. India would be the nation the US should "work with" to hit Russian oil exports.

I would think that anything that would reduce Russian revenues from natural gas and petroleum could have the biggest negative impact on their economy which probably is fairly stressed at this point.  Seems  likely we might work to do this best through India. but I wonder how much US Influence Indians can tolerate?  Last I read I think China bought 45% of its petroleum from Russia and India 38 percent.  Turkey and Europe were at 6 percent.  Loss of half its sales to India would be about a 22 Billion dollar hit to the Russia's economy. That would hurt I would think.
Probably a pipe dream, but I think anything we can do that hits the Russian Economy hard is a big plus for Ukraine.

Another add, reports from Russia reflect that they are having to crack down on draft evaders and are resorting to "illegal" actions under Russian law to fulfill the latest draft call of 160,000 men which happens to be the approximate losses they have suffered the first 4 months of this year. No matter who you are I don't see how you can continue to suffer losses at a rate that would amount to almost 700,000 by the end of the year.