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Story summary
- Four years into the Ukraine War, Russia shifts away from European aspirations toward non-Western markets, notably China.
- Western sanctions prompt strategies to import goods, allowing access to luxury goods despite restrictions.
- sanctions raise costs as prices rise and a value-added tax climbs to 22% in 2026, hitting lower-income citizens hardest.
- U.S. negotiators should pursue economic cooperation in peace talks to reintegrate Russia into markets and counter its drift toward China.
