By John Q. Hosedrinker 
President Zelenskyy urged for increased pressure on Russia, citing significant economic losses for the Kremlin. Intelligence reports detailed the effectiveness of sanctions, highlighting a critical moment to end the war before the next year. The primary objective is to compel the Russian regime to negotiate peace, demonstrating they cannot outlast Ukraine and Europe. Economic indicators, such as declining profits for major industries and the predicted collapse of passenger air transportation, underscore Russia’s vulnerability and the urgent need for pressure.
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Zelenskyy urges the world to crush Russia’s economy now to end war by 2025, which is a bold statement, especially considering we’re already well into it. The core idea is clear: inflict enough economic pain on Russia, and it will be forced to end the war in Ukraine. It’s a strategy that harks back to the Allied approach to Nazi Germany – choke the enemy’s resources, and force a surrender.
However, the reality of executing such a plan is complex. The biggest hurdle? China. It’s unlikely that China would simply allow Russia’s economy to collapse completely. They have a vested interest in a stable Russia, and they’ve already shown a willingness to support Moscow. India also complicates things, as it benefits from cheap Russian energy, making it less likely to fully embrace sanctions. The same goes for the US chipmakers still selling to Russia.
For this strategy to work, there has to be absolute adherence to sanctions, preventing loopholes that allow Russia to circumvent economic pressure. It’s not enough to impose sanctions; the world needs to *observe* them meticulously. This includes going after entities that are helping Russia. This will involve real pressure on China to stop supporting Russia, which is a big ask. It’s also key that Europe stops buying Russian oil through third parties.
The mechanics of crushing Russia’s economy are multi-faceted. For example, some suggest flooding the oil market to drive down prices, thereby reducing Russia’s primary source of income. Others propose targeting Russia’s financial system and trade routes, cutting off access to essential goods and services. Some believe that the US and Europe could work together to convince or force India to abandon its support for Russia.
There’s a general recognition that the war’s continuation is profitable for many. This brings up a critical point: the desire to end the war is not universally shared. Some countries or entities might even prefer the conflict to continue. It’s a hard truth, but a necessary one to confront.
While the goal is to bring down the regime and start anew, the idea of ending the war by 2025 seems optimistic, to say the least. With the current trajectory, and Russia still in its summer offensive, the war could very well drag into 2026, or even longer. If the world really wants to end this quickly, a lot of things need to happen: sink the grey fleet, and place an embargo on all goods made with resources from Russia.
Some think that economic pressure alone isn’t enough. They argue for more direct action, such as declaring war or targeting specific Russian assets. It’s easy to get frustrated and think about things like disabling Counter Strike 2 in Russia or limiting the travel of wealthy Russians. But the focus needs to stay on the economic front.
Ultimately, Zelenskyy’s call to crush Russia’s economy is a call to action, but it faces many obstacles. International cooperation is crucial, but achieving that in the current geopolitical landscape is incredibly challenging. The interests of various countries are often at odds, and the potential for blowback from such aggressive measures is significant.
The article should be viewed as a plea for the end of a brutal war. To effectively apply pressure, it requires a concerted effort. It also must address the reality that not everyone wants to see this end. The goal is a noble one, but the path to achieve it is far from straightforward. The idea of a 2025 end date seems increasingly unlikely, the longer the conflict goes on.