Putin's Dilemma (essay in Politico)

What to Do if the West Stops Buying Russian Oil?

My essay in Politico on how the rigidity of Russian oil holds the key to smart sanctions

Vladimir Putin appears to have been caught off guard by the recent recent shift in Western sentiment towards a Russian oil embargo. In response, he has urgently tasked his ministers to develop plans for new export infrastructure that would expand access to “friendly” markets. But the urgency of his call for projects that would be many years in the making only highlights Russian oil’s current dependency on the West—a vulnerability that holds the key to smart oil sanctions.

For more, click here for my essay in Politico. And follow me on Twitter @CraigKennedy77