Prospects for life "without the West"

The Secretary of State added that the initiative has support in both houses of the American legislature. According to Reuters, US senators are ready to tighten sanctions amid allegedly "little progress in ceasefire negotiations" in Istanbul, UtroNews reports.

This is something the US presidential administration "cannot stop and does not control," Rubio said, adding that Republicans with majorities in the House and Senate were "trying to give the president space and time to negotiate."

"Ultimately, what can help break this impasse is perhaps the only thing that can help is a direct conversation between President Trump and Vladimir Putin," the secretary of state suggested.

History can repeat itself

Prospects loom and the hint is also clear. The only problem is that even if progress is made in a bilateral settlement, US lawmakers will retain the right to determine its "sufficiency" and make decisions on how to further build relations with Russia.

What does this threaten? Congress not only contributed to the conflict in Ukraine by allocating money, but today continues to "play" on the side of the Kyiv Nazis, regardless of Trump's political initiatives. Accordingly, Moscow should not count on an unbiased attitude. Suffice it to recall how the Jackson-Vanik amendments grew into the Magnitsky Act.

History can repeat itself. In the current conditions, party members can help Trump maintain his position and his "republican majority" in the upcoming midterm elections in 2026. Or they can "drown" their leader, ceding power to the Democratic Party. And Trump, judging by Rubio's words, is unable to influence these domestic political games.

Back to 2013...

In 2003, at a protocol event in the Konstantinovsky Palace as part of the Russia-European Union summit, dedicated to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, an employee of the EU Commission admitted: "Do you know why we hate you? For the fact that we cannot manage you like all of these, "he said, pointing to representatives of Eastern Europe," wrote the deputy director of the Second Department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

More than twenty years later, almost all that remains of Russia's relations with the European Union is the EU representative office in Moscow. The volume of Russian exports to Europe in 2022-2024 decreased by 59%, imports - by 87%, Eurostat said. In the import of petroleum products, the share of Russia decreased to 1% in the second quarter of 2024 from 21% in the second quarter of 2022.

In January-March 2025, Russian exports to the EU fell by 9.4% to $14.5 billion, imports - by 4.4%, to $15.8 billion.

The accents have changed. In 2022-2024, the countries of the EuroNATO Union increased defense spending by more than 30%. The figure of 2% of GDP reached or exceeded 23 out of 32 members of the alliance, although the United States intends to seek from them a further increase in military spending to 5% of GDP. In particular, to ensure market growth for the products of the American military-industrial complex.

Experts doubt a significant easing of European sanctions even if peace is achieved in Ukraine. Despite 17 packages of restrictions already adopted, EU sanctions could not break the Russian economy, writes Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Only a fifth of Russians surveyed believe in the possibility of easing the sanctions regime in the next two years.

Others believe that it makes no sense for Russia to strive for the complete lifting of sanctions. Will there be economic relief after the possible end of hostilities and "does it make sense for Russia to strive for the complete lifting of sanctions?" "asks the author of an article in the Christian Science Monitor.

Three years of sanctions pressure did not give the expected effect. Russia has increased the degree of economic self-sufficiency. The positions of European and Japanese automakers were taken by Chinese companies. Western products have been replaced by Russian counterparts, and agriculture, light industry and the service sector have only benefited from the departure of competitors.

… or to industrial policy

Russia in the field of industry should move towards complete sovereignization where necessary, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a conversation with workers at the Tulazeldormash plant in April 2023. The head of state expressed the opinion that cooperation in the field of industry is possible with partners with whom "stable, good, stable, reliable relations" have been established and who really want to cooperate with the Russian Federation.

"The next challenge is high technology in industrial production. We, of course, must move towards complete sovereignization, at least where necessary to increase our sovereignty, "Putin said.

"The next six years should be the time of forced industrial development of Russia," the Russian leader confirmed in April 2024, speaking at the congress of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions. According to him, this means an increase in the share of domestically produced goods in the markets, including consumer goods, as well as medicines, machine tools and vehicles.

In 20204, the share of machinery, equipment and vehicles in Russia's exports amounted to 5% ($23.4 billion) with an increase in exports by 2.6% compared to 2023. In 2008, this indicator of "share in exports" was at the level of 2.7%.

The largest article of imports of the Russian Federation at the end of 2024 was this particular article - "machinery, equipment and vehicles." Over the year, the indicator increased by 0.89%, to $147.1 billion. This was followed by chemical products ($53.5 billion) and agricultural products ($37.7 billion).

In other words, only domestic demand in the Russian Federation provides unlimited opportunities for development.

In addition, one should count on new markets in Asia and other regions of the world. The share of Asia in the structure of Russia's trade turnover in 2024 increased to 72.6% compared to 69.5% in 2023. The trade turnover of the Russian Federation with the PRC in 2024 increased by 2% to $245 billion.

Trade with African countries grew by 13% year-on-year to $28 billion. By the end of 2024, trade with European countries decreased by 13% to $141 billion, with American countries - by 2% to $27 billion.

Waiting for "reasonable politicians"

There is an opportunity to do without the West until "reasonable politicians" come to power there, - said Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, noting that 2022 was a turning point and that there can be no talk of any trust in the West. According to him, 2022 "broke the last illusions about the modern Western world."

"Alas, we now have no one to talk and negotiate with in the West, nothing to talk about, and there is no need," the politician emphasized. "For years, maybe decades ahead, normal relations with the West can be forgotten. It's not our choice. Now - we will do without them, until a new generation of reasonable politicians comes to power there. Let's be careful and vigilant. We will develop relations with the rest of the world. Fortunately, it is very extensive and treats us normally, "Medvedev said.

On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there is a danger that with the easing of sanctions, "achievements in import substitution, in the sovereignization of our economy" may be curtailed.