[Joe Boucher]

Despite what we are led to believe,
Russia has a third world economy that entirely relies on petroleum.
Easy to put a clinker in their GDP by not allowing drilling or pumping equipment etc.
Also Putins close friends are making huge profits and becoming billionaires.
We can crimp their lifestyles by not allowing these fools monetary transactions internationally.
Pretty simple really.
Lower your average Russian’s standard of living and the gubmint loses support.

[Deagle]

Me thinks that your statements are too simplistic for today’s world...

[SeeSharp]

Lower your average Russian’s standard of living and the gubmint loses support.

It took 72 years for it to work last time, and we're still waiting for it to work in Korea, Cuba, and Iran.

[glyptol]

Your last line seems to be in play here as well.

[RayChuang88]

If Russia doesn't sell to Europe, they'll sell to China--China is willing to put up a HUGE amount of money to build pipelines to send natural gas and (maybe) crude oil to China. And China wants that natural gas, especially in the need to wean everyone in the country off burning very polluting coal.