DISINFO: Sanctions against Russia worsen the economic crisis in the West
SUMMARY
The policy of threats and sanctions [against Russia] does not produce any results at all, but only exacerbates the economic and other crises in the West.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about sanctions. The claim was neither critically challenged nor counterbalanced in the article.
Although the claim speaks of the West in general, the vast majority of Western countries' trade with Russia happens with EU member states.
Since March 2014, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures against Russia. The measures were adopted in particular as response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine.
While these sanctions do affect the EU's economy, the EU-wide impact of the export losses are estimated at less than 0.2% of total value-added and employment. Research showed that already in 2016 most of the affected agricultural sectors had been able to find alternative markets, either within the EU or beyond.
See similar cases that it was the EU that suffered the most from anti-Russian sanctions; that the EU has lost hundreds of billions due to sanctions on Russia; that the EU is suffering from sanctions against Russia; that EU sanctions against Russia dealt a big blow to Europe itself; that the European economy is losing hundreds of billions due to sanctions, that sanctions cost Europe more than they cost Russia, and that the EU loses 450 billion euros yearly because of the sanctions against Russia.