Thread by @DrRadchenko

So let me run a quick thread on this session at the European Parliament, which just concluded.

https://twitter.com/mbk_center/status/1332041514218901505

The speakers' call for personalised sanctions on corrupt Russian officials is very reasonable. I'd only add that any such sanctions must of course go beyond "Russia." Corruption is not a specifically Russian phenomenon.

So if Usmanov's or Abramovich's yachts are chased out of European ports (as by god, I am only happy that they are), it's important to see whose yachts remain, and on what grounds.

The question of non-recognition of Putin, as @vkaramurza proposed. Two issues here. First, this of course would have to be a rhetorical, not a legal decision.

Presumably, failure to recognise Putin if he remained in power through fraud (as he well might) would not actually entail severance of diplomatic relations with Russia. "Unrecognized" Putin would remain the head of of a recognised state, a member of the P5, G20, OSCE etc.

Putin's signature would still appear on international treaties committing Russia to this or that course of action, his officials (ambassadors, ministers etc) would still have the power to negotiate on Russia's behalf. What, then, is the meaning of this proposed gesture?

Incidentally, have not followed if there have been any practical implications of @LinkeviciusL's non-recognition of Lukashenka - seems like a pertinent precedent, though of course Belarus and Russia are in different leagues, and the implications would be quite different.

The second issue is that if Putin is declared an illegitimate imposter due to the falsified elections, then what should be said of other authoritarian countries, e.g. China (which doesn't hold elections), Kazakhstan, Vietnam, etc? An important question that's rarely addressed.

Interesting comments from @v_milov who (if I heard him correctly) called for sectoral sanctions on Belarus, suggesting that victory is at hand, and that Lukashenka should be denied the financial resources he draws upon to oppress the people.

But the same resources are used to run hospitals and schools in Belarus. One can rest assured that Lukashenka will sacrifice hospitals and schools first - before we ever get to the security services (the same questions btw apply to Russia as well).

One of those issues that always comes to mind when discussing the efficacy of sanctions, and in particular the impact of sectoral sanctions. No easy answers here.

In short, an interesting discussion. Many thanks to @navalny, @vkaramurza, @v_milov and @IlyaYashin for thought-provoking comments.