Well, maybe the diplomats have learned something. rather than wait for mad Vlad to move into more of Ukraine, the US announced that a list of sanctions will immediately apply should Russyan armed forces move into Ukraine, either from the Crimea or the DonBass region of eastern Ukraine, occupied by Russya since 2014.
Sanctions applied after 2014 have had little affect among the Kremlin leadership, Putin. Some individuals were restricted as to movements. Some companies were restricted as to business operations. But Russya didn't seem to get the message. Russyan -based hackers penetrated US government computer systems causing much damage and compromised information. This came from the government-sponsored hackers in Moscova. Mad Vlad is intent on making waves in his own neighborhood. Most recently, the president of neighbor state Kazakhstan asked the Kremlin for armed support as his country descends into chaos because of power struggles among the government leaders, and also crushing poverty among the masses despite a veneer of prosperity because of the energy resources providing a source of sovereign income. 2000 plus troops have arrived to assist local security forces dealing with national unrest.
On the Ukraine border, another 100000 Russyans have been assigned and are poised to move west into the Donbas and eastern Ukraine. While analysts don not see an attempt to take the capitol city of Kyiv, it could happen. NATO has also been informed of potential Russyan attacks and could move assets into eastern Europe to member states of the alliance. All this tension comes at a time when the world, Russya included, is coping with the Covid pandemic.
Will Putin listen? Will he reconsider? Will he go to Beijing for the Olympics? He is about to turn 70 years of age and might be considering his legacy. Hmmmmm. He's been running the Kremlin for over 22 years, unopposed excepting by those he's placed in prison or assassinated. His cronies are all counting their rubles. Maybe he wants to retire to one of his palatial dachas.
Time will tell. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken made statements announcing sanctions already spelled out by Pres. Biden. Sec. Blinken's deputy Wendy R. Sherman, 72, will attend a meeting Mondayto help negotiate NATO moves in response to any moves by Putin. Nobody really believes Putin will alter his plans. He seems to make up his mind well ahead of any moves, probing, listening for weak moves by the West. Will Pres. Biden move as announced? What is going on behind the headlines? What moves are already underway? Can the US attract support as the US licks its wounds following the Afghanistan withdrawal? Not easy.
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