Sanctions need public backing otherwise political backlashes will happen. The price of oil and gas in Europe is particularly sensitive (look at the yellow vest episode in France). There are ways of addressing the discontent by offering an EU energy payment to individuals to offset the rising costs (but NOT specially to fossil fuels).

A revolt within Russia is really unlikely to work because there is no legal path and Putin has already conquered his own people, including the oligarchs who are reliant upon him. Putin has total power. Any transfer would have to come from the military which would not guarantee a real change.

In a broader context, it's distressing that the West has little support for Ukraine from developing countries. This is at least partly our doing. America has behaved indifferently, inconsistently and hypocritically in the world -- and this has been noticed.

Kerry Landon-Lane
Kerry Landon-Lane

Written by Kerry Landon-Lane

OP-ED writer, designer and artist. Most recently returned to architecture and deliberately presents the subject void of buildings.

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