Ideas for more effective personal sanctions towards peace
The Economist published this article: Alexei Navalny’s chief of staff says personal sanctions need rethinking [access requires subscription]
It is a more open reflection on personal sanctions against Russians, and how to create incentives for them to defect and achieve deeper interests (the article suggests "to weaken Mr Putin’s regime and deprive it of its resources" - I'd say that's still a means to the ultimate end of peace and human development).
Maybe there could also be incentives for Russian military to defect? Young men, probably with low motivation to die in this (or any) war. Easy visas to live in democratic regimes? What could be the challenges and unintended consequences? (Budget should not be an issue, given the billions in economic waste associate with the war.)
Key ideas in the article:
- Sanctions against Russian individuals have not been effective in weakening Putin's regime or causing defections
- Sanctions push people towards Putin and consolidate support for the regime
- Individuals would gain nothing from the West by criticizing Putin's regime
- A new approach to individual sanctions is needed
- Dramatically extend the lists of sanctioned individuals while also giving them a way off
- Create incentives to break ties with Putin's regime and transfer a portion of wealth to Ukraine as compensation