The concluding part of this two-part editorial examines the international strategic pressures and other offensive actions the West has steadily imposed on Russia so far, to no avail. Force, fracture, or fatigue? After two years of crippling sanctions, sweeping NATO expansion, financial isolation, and relentless diplomacy, Putin still hasn’t blinked. As the front lines harden and global patience wears thin, one question remains: What will it take to break his will to fight? China remains silent, quietly enabling the Kremlin. If peace is to be forced, Trump must make Beijing understand there will be a price for helping Putin hold the line.
Gilbert Doctorow, an international political and security analyst who maintains dual residences in Europe and St. Petersburg and is fluent in Russian, has opined that Russia adjusted well to the West's sanctions regime. Appearing on the Glenn Diesen show, Doctorow said that creative moves, such as conserving the dollar by entering into bilateral commercial exchanges such as trading in roubles with China and extending short-term financing to struggling businesses, have helped Moscow report GDP growth above 4%. The labor market has been tight, with unemployment rates as low as 2.6% in 2024.
Other media outlets, such as the Financial Times, have confirmed that Russia appears to have successfully weathered the sanctions, at least in the short term. But the sanctions have continued to bite. According to a Reuters report, President Putin has insisted that sanctions relief and the demand that Ukraine remain neutral without seeking NATO membership are at the heart of Russian proposals toward a potential peace settlement.
The tough sanctions already imposed may be the reason President Trump said at the Oval Office on Wednesday that he would wait two more weeks before announcing any new actions on Russia. Many GOP leaders are pressing Trump to impose new sanctions, given Trump's frustration with Putin, which was evident when he said again that he was "very disappointed" in Putin's actions.
Here's a brief list of the sanctions imposed on Russia since the conflict began.
Asset Freezes and Travel Bans on Russian Elites. In response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, a broad coalition of countries, including the U.S., EU, UK, and Canada, imposed sweeping sanctions targeting various sectors of the Russian economy. Among the most visible actions were asset freezes and travel bans on thousands of Russian elites. These included high-ranking officials, oligarchs, and their family members, most notably President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Central Bank Asset Freeze. One of the most impactful financial measures was the freezing of over $300 billion in assets belonging to the Central Bank of Russia. This action significantly limited Russia's ability to stabilize the ruble and manage its economy using foreign reserves.
Removal from SWIFT. In parallel, several major Russian banks were removed from the SWIFT global financial messaging system, effectively isolating them from international banking and severely constraining their ability to carry out cross-border transactions.
Export controls. The West also implemented export controls and technology bans, with the U.S., EU, Japan, and other allies prohibiting the export of advanced technologies to Russia. These restrictions covered semiconductors, aviation components, and dual-use goods relevant to the military, dealing a severe blow to Russia's manufacturing and defense capabilities.
Energy exports. Energy exports, a key pillar of the Russian economy, were also targeted. The U.S. and UK banned imports of Russian oil and gas, while the EU introduced a phased embargo on seaborne Russian crude oil and refined products. To reinforce these efforts, G7 nations imposed a price cap on Russian crude and petroleum products, aiming to restrict Moscow's revenue from energy exports while minimizing disruption to global energy markets.
Institutional and Strategic Actions. Western nations and their allies have also taken a series of strategic and institutional measures that have significantly reshaped the geopolitical landscape in Europe. Among the most consequential developments have been NATO's enlargement and reinforcement, and ongoing deliberations over the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Finland officially became a NATO member in 2023, followed by Sweden in 2024. These historic decisions, driven by heightened security concerns in response to Russian aggression, ended decades of military non-alignment for both countries. Finland's accession, in particular, has drastically altered the strategic calculus in Northern Europe, as the country has a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia. With Finland and Sweden now members of the alliance, NATO has significantly strengthened its presence and deterrence capabilities in the Baltic Sea region. This expansion has increased NATO's direct border with Russia. The Kremlin sees this as a threat, but NATO members view it as a vital measure for collective security. The move also underscores the deepening alignment among European democracies in the face of Russian military assertiveness.
Alongside NATO's strategic expansion, Western powers—particularly the G7 countries—have pursued a parallel effort to repurpose frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine's reconstruction. As of 2024–2025, the G7 has been working to finalize legal and financial frameworks that would allow the transfer of profits or interest generated from these frozen assets to aid Ukraine without formally expropriating the principal amounts. This approach aims to sidestep the complex legal and diplomatic challenges associated with outright asset seizure while still holding Russia financially accountable for the war's devastation.
These institutional actions are emblematic of a broader strategic pivot by Western nations. They reflect a commitment to long-term deterrence, alliance solidarity, and support for Ukraine through military assistance and sanctions, structural reforms, and strategic investments. Together, NATO expansion and asset-based aid represent a comprehensive approach to countering Russian aggression and supporting Ukraine's path to recovery and sovereignty.
The West has thrown nearly everything at Russia: crippling sanctions, NATO expansion, financial isolation, and relentless diplomacy. Yet Putin hasn’t blinked. With the front lines frozen, economies adjusting, and global patience thinning, the real question now is whether the next move will come through force, fracture, or fatigue. China remains mum, quietly enabling Putin while hedging its bets. If peace is to be forced, Trump must make Beijing understand that being Putin’s ballast won’t be forgiven and won’t go unpunished.
TIPP Market Brief – May 29, 2025
Your Morning Snapshot
📊 Market Snapshot
- S&P 500: ▼ 5,888.55 (0.56% )
- 10-Year Yield: ▲ 4.477%, (4.3 basis points)
- Crude Oil (WTI): ▲ $61.86 (1.29%)
- Bitcoin (BTC): ▲ $108,310.25
- US Dollar Index (USD): ▲ 100.06 (0.18)
- Gold: ▼ $3,290.42 (0.56%)
Bigger Charts: $SPX | $TNX | $WTIC | $BTCUSD | $USD | $GOLD
📈 Featured Stock
Our pick for today’s featured stock
📰 News & Headlines
The Best Stocks to Invest $50,000 in Right Now—Jake Lerch, The Motley Fool
What is Contributing to Robinhood Markets' (HOOD) Strong Performance?—Soumya Eswaran, Insider Monkey
⭐Recent Featured Stocks
Carvana Company (CVNA) (5/28)
Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (HIMS) (5/27)
Roblox Corp (RBLX) (5/23)
Rubrik, Inc. (RBRK) (5/22)
Oddity Tech Ltd. (ODD) (5/21)
Sezzle Inc (SEZL) (5/20)
Groupon, Inc. (GRPN) (5/19)
Duolingo, Inc. (DUOL) (5/16)
Deutsche Bank (DB) (5/15)
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.(HWM) (5/14)
More here
🧠 Macro Insight
- ▲ Futures surge after a federal court rules Trump’s universal tariffs invalid, boosting market optimism.
- Nvidia (NVDA) beats expectations, with Q1 revenue strong despite China hit; stock rises over 5%.
- Elon Musk exits the Trump administration, stepping down as head of DOGE.
- Oil jumps as tariff ruling lifts sentiment and U.S. crude stockpiles fall sharply.
- More earnings on deck from Kohl’s (KSS), Foot Locker (FL), Marvell (MRVL), Dell (DELL), and others.
📅 Key Events Today
Thursday, May 29
● 08:30 AM ET – GDP (Q1, QoQ)
Second estimate of economic growth; a key macro health check.
● 08:30 AM ET – Initial Jobless Claims
Weekly read on new unemployment filings, a key signal for labor market strength.
● 12:00 PM ET – Crude Oil Inventories
Weekly update on U.S. oil stockpiles, a vital gauge for energy markets.
