Russia's economic growth amidst sanctions: a result of war economy, warns Radosław Sikorski
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Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is in New York attending the General Assembly of the United Nations. He commended the USA for imposing additional sanctions on Russia.
"The assassination of Alexei Navalny must have repercussions and we, as the EU, should, I believe, also enact suitable consequences", Sikorski proposed.
Journals reported that the Russian economy, despite sanctions, is witnessing growth. Sikorski noted that this is the result of orienting the economy towards a war footing. "When we replace car production with, for example, an increased number of missiles, our GDP grows, but the country's wealth diminishes," he clarified.
He portrayed this move as "an act of depleting the country's resources". "Remember, the USSR also channeled a substantial part of their revenue into armaments. It led to bankruptcy and collapse. Today, Vladimir Putin is following in the footsteps of Brezhnev", he argued.
"He is squandering the future developmental prospects of his country. He invests in dreams of imperial power, rather than addressing the needs of Russia and its citizens", Sikorski assessed.
"There's no more time to waste"
He underscored that the West must contrive a response to these actions. Sikorski reminded listeners that he, along with the Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, penned a letter to the heads of EU foreign affairs and defense departments, advocating for an economy shift to a war footing.
"I believe that former President Medvedev's threats, and the assault on Avdiivka have prompted European politicians to understand that we can't afford to waste any more time", he said.
He added that his mission in the United States is to persuade Republican congress members into voting for the aid package for Ukraine. He expressed optimism that he can rely on their judicious consideration. He drew attention to an interview with Volodymyr Zelensky featured on the traditionally Republican-leaning Fox News, as a potential indicator of some shift within the philosophy of the American right-wing political landscape.
