Should We Isolate Russia?
Topics: Politics, World
Public Release Date: July 22, 2022
At the time Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, Russia supplied the European Union with some 40% of its natural gas, 25% of its oil, and nearly half of its coal. But as punishment for the war, most of Russia’s energy imports to Europe will be banned by the end of the year, along with sweeping sanctions that target banks, businesses, and oligarchs. Is that smart policy? Those who argue “yes” say Russia must be punished for its actions, democratic governments should be protected, and that accommodations only embolden Moscow. Those who argue “no” say isolating the Kremlin to this extent is a dangerous gamble, which could undermine Europe’s economies, push Russia further toward China, and lay the groundwork for an escalation.
In this context, and in partnership with the German Marshall Fund, we debate this question, "Should we isolate Russia?"
ARGUING YES:
Michael McFaul: Former US Ambassador to Russia
Radan Kanev: Member of European Parliament
ARGUING NO:
Emma Ashford: Senior Fellow on the Atlantic Council
Jonas Shaende: Chief Economist of the Fiscal Policy Institute
GUEST MODERATOR:
David Ariosto: Global Policy Analyst & Strategist, Executive Leader, Journalist, Author, Podcast Host and ASU Interplanetary Initiative Visiting Scholar
MODERATOR-IN-CHIEF:
John Donvan: Emmy award-winning journalist