The Russian Perception of U.S. Sanctions

By Jenny Park

In a New York Times Op-Ed, Simon Morrison shares his observations about the Russian defiance of U.S. sanctions, and reasons for Putin’s high ratings. While characterizing Russia’s view of the Ukrainian conflict as illusory, Morrison attributes much of this defiance to nostalgia. This nostalgia stems from Crimea’s role in the Russian Empire as well as heavy propaganda from the Russian media. Interestingly, Morrison juxtaposes these sensibilities to the American right-wing media’s nostalgia for a Reagan-era empire and to its accompanying partisan rhetoric.