Originally Posted by
Kaleredar
I think the US and EU are more than poised to help rebuild Ukraine. Honestly, the whole "massive reparations" thing from Russia is like asking for blood from a turnip past a certain point. They're already in dire economic straights, and that economic turmoil is only expected to increase as time goes on. Putin was already acting like proto-hitler in his actions against Ukraine, we don't need Russia to go full third reich under the crushing burden of reparations they can't possibly pay off driving them into a (even more) homicidal rampage across Europe.
Now don't get it twisted, I've no intention of "letting Russia off easy," sanctions should absolutely remain and they should remain international pariahs until they create some sort of internal change to the contrary. They should likewise be pressured as pointedly as possible to repatriate any and all Ukrainians they kidnapped and, in fairness, pay to rebuild the infrastructure they caused the destruction of. There's no "forgive and forget," here.
But I'm wary of "economic reparations for the sake of punishment" causing Russia to become even more unhinged. Right now the people of Russia can easily point to the war that their leadership started as being the source of their hardship, and propaganda can only fight that so hard. But if the war ends and suddenly their money is worthless, they can't afford food and it's not the direct fault of the Russian government but the "oppressive west?" That's how you get an infuriated population behind far more cavalier and extreme outwards violence.