Sanctions Against Russia: A Double-Edged Sword
Andrey Kostin, the chairman of state-controlled VTB, Russia’s second-largest bank, recently discussed the impact of Western sanctions on Russia in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Here’s the breakdown:
- Creating a new payments and settlements infrastructure involving rubles and currencies of friendly states
- VTB Bank is present in major Asian countries and CIS countries, actively working in this sphere
- Sanctions against Russia have had a double-edged impact, demolishing the global trade system and causing inflation surge
- US banking crisis is spreading to Europe due to Western attempts to resolve the problem
- VTB Bank feels safe in the banking sector despite incurring losses last year
Hot Take: The impact of sanctions on Russia is complex. While they have caused problems, Russia is adapting by expanding the ruble market and working with other currencies. The shift away from Western currencies and towards the yuan signals a changing global power dynamic.