He didn’t even wait for the details. Solely on the basis of Donald Trump’s accelerated August 8th deadline, Vladimir Putin made his decision: sanctions are no longer a threat.

Well, who didn’t know that . . . other than Trump, that is?

So, basically, the Kremlin’s response is “yob vas, Donnie.” (Use your imaginations, or Google Translate, for that one.)

Although couched in slightly more diplomatic terms, that is essentially the message delivered to reporters yesterday by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

“We have been living under a huge number of sanctions for quite a long time, our economy operates under a huge number of restrictions. Therefore, of course, we have already developed a certain immunity in this regard, and we continue to note all statements that come from President Trump, from other international representatives on this matter.” [Gleb Stolyarov, Dmitry Anntonov, Mark Trevelyan and Andrew Osborn, Reuters, July 30, 2025.]

And Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, calling the threat of additional sanctions “routine,” wondered why the West hadn’t yet caught on to the fact that they don’t work:

“We see that the West simply cannot let go of the issue of sanctions. It seems as if they are constantly stuck in a rut. Apparently, there are no other options left — they have been exhausted. We are responding and taking measures to counteract all of this or even turn it to our own advantage.” [Id.]

Well, there’s another “up yours” to the U.S., to Ukraine, and to all of the European allies who thought they could strangle Russia’s economy. Not that the sanctions haven’t created any problems for them . . . they certainly have. But Putin has his own allies; and with substantial support from China, India, North Korea, Iran, and who-knows-who-else, Russia is surviving, as she always has, through just one more Time of Troubles.

Of course, Putin brought this particular headache onto himself when he invaded Ukraine, believing that it would take just days or weeks to overwhelm the smaller, weaker country. But he has adapted, and is determined to continue on his chosen course until he has won, no matter the cost.

So what options are left to the West? As Putin knows full well, no one wants World War III.

My heart is with the good people of my ancestral home of Ukraine; but my head is losing hope. It’s time for a miracle, and while we wait for it, all I can offer is a fervent . . .

Slava Ukraine!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/31/25