President Donald Trump’s proposal highlights a growing dilemma for the West: are we running out of effective economic ammunition against Russia? His plan for a full oil ban and secondary sanctions on China can be seen as the last remaining “big guns” in the economic arsenal.
After multiple rounds of sanctions targeting Russian banks, oligarchs, and technology imports, the impact has been significant but has not yet forced an end to the war. This has led to a search for more powerful measures that can deliver a knockout blow.
A complete and enforced oil embargo by all of NATO is one such measure, as energy exports are the lifeblood of the Russian state budget. Similarly, secondary sanctions or tariffs against China for its support would be a massive escalation, aiming to cut Russia off from its largest economic partner.
Trump’s proposal is an acknowledgment that incremental sanctions may no longer be enough. He is advocating for the immediate use of the most powerful economic weapons left. However, this raises the question: if these measures are used and they still don’t work, what comes next? It is a move that leaves little room for further escalation on the economic front.
