Aside from the West, Russia is more popular with the rest of the world than it was before it invaded Ukraine. From Conor Gallagher at nakedcapitalism.com:
“If Russia does not end this war and get out of Ukraine, it will be isolated on a small island with a bunch of sub countries and the rest of us 141 countries will go forward and build a prosperous future, while Russia suffers a complete economic and technological isolation…”
-Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and chief architect of NATO war against Russia, in a March 2022 interview with TASS
Nuland has failed miserably. Instead, Russia’s economy is growing, and the inability to isolate Russia is arguably a larger loss than the one NATO is suffering in Ukraine. Last week The New York Times finally got around to admitting the isolation efforts have failed:
Silverado Policy Accelerator, a Washington nonprofit, recently issued a similar analysis, estimating that the value of Russian imports from the rest of the world had exceeded prewar levels by September.
It marks quite the change in script. Consider this sampling of headlines from the past year:
Russia’s isolation from global markets is withering its economy and will wreck its status as an energy superpower, experts say Business Insider
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine will knock 30 years of progress off the Russian economy CNBC
Another Nail In The Coffin Of The Russian Economy Forbes
War against Ukraine has left Russia isolated and struggling — with more tumult ahead NPR
A New Iron Curtain Is Falling: The isolation of the Russian economy is striking in its speed and scope New York Times
STRAIGHT LINE LOGIC 