Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to London yesterday on his surprise tour of European capitals suggests a last throw of the dice in his bid to drive the Russians from his country. He has justice on his side and is desperate for logistical support. He has shown he can use it well and deserves to get it.
As he did in his meeting with Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, he is also requesting additional economic sanctions on Russia. These are a different matter. Sanctions on Russia have failed utterly in their declared objective of deterring Vladimir Putin’s aggression. They failed to curb his initial incursions after 2014 and failed to restrain his barbaric conduct of the present war. They have not destroyed his economy or induced his cronies, let alone his people, to rise up against him. They may have curbed his trade with some current and former partners, but hardly by much. He can afford to play long.
