Bailing Out Russia for “Peace” Is a Losing Proposition

A proposed Russian economic reintegration plan, which includes sanctions relief in exchange for peace, is a losing proposition for the West. Accepting such a deal would misunderstand the nature of the contemporary Russian state, which has calibrated its entire economy for long-term conflict. Russia's defense and security spending now drives its economy, cannibalizing civilian industries and making it an exceptionally vulnerable partner. Reintegrating Russia into the global economy would reinstate the very coercive instruments Moscow has used to undermine Western security, making any bailout a strategic error.