Thread by @Laurie_Garrett

Putin meant to grab #Ukraine & drive wedges between #NATO & #Russian-bordering nations.
Instead, he's evoked unification of economic, military & political forces across Europe, G7, the @EU @imf @WorldBank & @NATO into a block of unprecedented unity & resolve, that met today.
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2/ It's been called the strongest alliance since WWII. But today's @NATO declaration, coupled w/alliances #Biden has formed, leaves #Russia isolated, issues a clear call-out to #China & makes ironclad an all-of-Europe mutual defense posture that's quite unprecedented.
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3/ This is one of the most historic declarations of the last century. It quite simply realigns the world, geopolitically -- going well beyond response to the #russianinvasion of #Ukraine . We are witnessing a crushing defeat of #Putin's masterplan to divide the West.
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4/ In @WhiteHouse briefings last night & today we're told that sanctions & other Western measures have:
- forced the #Russian Central Bank to draw on gold reserves -- which will be blocked in new sanctions starting today
- contracted Russia's economy 3Xs worse than 1998
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5/- spawned a brain-drain of 200K #Russians fleeing R, so far
- blocked 2.5M barrels of R oil, so far
- shrunk R economy to 1/2 the size it was pre-invasion
- spawned largest/fastest humanitarian resp in history, w/another $1B #Biden 2day for #refugees & $11B for global food
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6/ And this powerful alliance has firmly committed to taking even more drastic steps against #Russia if chemical, biological or nuke #WMD weapons are deployed in #Ukraine or if Russia executes a major cyberwar attack on Western targets.
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7/ Make no mistake, Vladimir: Your #invasionofUkraine is not only inhumane, it will devastate your country & has already solidified unity in the G7, Europe, UK, US, Canada, Japan & most of the global multilateral & financing systems that is historic. (Remember 1998.)
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8/ You will lose, Mr. #Putin . The only question is how many people will suffer and perish before you are defeated.
You are a Dead Man Walking (or riding...).
(And pay heed #XiJinping & #KimJonghyeon )
@djrothkopf @TheRickWilson @MaxBoot @SSestanovich