The Patriot Post® · More Sanctions Do Little Against Russia

The U.S. and the European Union announced more trade sanctions against Russia, which are only slightly less severe than the total ban the U.S. has on Iranian banks. Most of the details will come later in the week, but The Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. is clamping down on Russian banks and its energy sector. Former United Nations ambassador John Bolton says the sanctions are a weak move from the Obama administration, which has downplayed Russia’s nuclear treaty violation and may embolden Vladimir Putin. “In some respects these minimal sanctions are worse than no sanctions at all,” Bolton said, “because it reinforces Putin’s view he can do what he wants in Ukraine.” Indeed, Pravda, the Russian news site that evolved from the Russian Communist Party’s newspaper, “reported” that Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, “We will survive sanctions, but it is unfortunate that the U.S. continues to push Kiev towards forced suppression of discontent of the Russian-speaking population.” Ah, comrades, if the Motherland doesn’t protect “her Russians” in Ukraine, who will? More…