Because of these several reasons:
- Russia views itself as equal to the US or any other country and does not follow why the US reserves itself a right to punish others.
- The sanctions, from the US against Russia, were implemented years ago. No escape has been offered, besides non-realistic ultimate demands – demands that could be applied to a country defeated in a war, but not to a “proud world power” Russia. Please do not be fooled by GDP bullshit. The national spirit defines a world power, not money. Russia is the only country that can physically destroy the US and kill all Americans in a total war. Younger generations of US politicians forget about this.
- No country in history has been able to force the Russian people for any meaningful length of time to do something against their “own” interest. Just ask Napoleon and Hitler.
- The Russians have a “siege pathology.” As a nation, they have been invaded at least 4-times by foreigners, and consequently developed a “healthy paranoia” of the Americans in general and the Europeans in particular.
- The Russians are an enormously proud nation, and whilst they admire the American people, they still view the American government with suspicion and are thus unlikely to accede to any of their imperialist demands anytime soon.
- The US sanctions come upon Russia like summer or winter, regardless of what happens. Russians joke each time something “bad” happens in the world (volcano eruption, Japanese nuclear wastes in the ocean, death of Prince Philip, etc.), that “now we should expect the US sanctions on Russia”.
- Russia sees no way to escape sanctions and therefore has no motive to change anything but learn to live under sanctions forever. It is not so difficult considering the size, power, and resources of Russia and plenty of alternatives on the world market!
- Russians have the mentality of “doing without.” The West forgets that there were perennial shortages of goods during the Soviet era.
- Contrary to popular beliefs in the West, and how GDP data is spun by the global financial institutions, the Russian economy is larger than the German economy, and continues to grow.
- Russia, under Putin, has established a fast-growing local (replacement) industry and relies less and less on “key” imports such as sensitive electronic components and parts.
- Russia’s growing trade with China assures it that it can source any vital industry components and the IP of course.
- For the first time, Russia has become a net exporter of wheat and other commodities, demonstrating the rapid growth of local industry and agriculture.
- The direct US-Russia trade volume is negligible.
- Sanctions involving third countries are considered by them as not legitimate and are more or less openly sabotaged.
- There has been no clear goal of the sanctions that have been defined. Each US administration and each US senator say something different. But all of them act like they wish to harm and deter Russia as a potential rival by all means. And they lie too much and too obvious.
Various Sources…
