1. Russian Charm Offensive | SFTM Episode 11 Adam Braus 41:18

Putin surprised the world when he ordered an invasion of Ukraine. The US and our allies went into action. We have given over $40B to Ukraine in military aid. We've made Russia into a pariah state. We've put embargos on Russian goods including oil and natural gas. The outcomes have been mixed. The Ukrainian military, with our help, has been able to do better than expected against the military of a superpower. However, our use of sanctions however has not had such a clear impact.  Putin or his circle of oligarchs have not been affected enough to make them stop their illegal invasion. In many ways, our sanctions have raised the oil price, helping Russian oil oligarchs and hurting regular Russian citizens (as well as Americans and Europeans!). 

In this episode, listen to Scot and Adam (who are NOT foreign affairs experts!) explore one thing that we might have used to take even more strategic actions against Putin's illegal war.  What if instead of being generally anti-Russian, we deliberately chose to be pro-Russian culture but anti-Putin and anti-invasion? What if the US government and our allies supported Ukraine, only put in sanctions that hurt Putin and his cronies, and executed a Russian charm offensive? Would we be in a stronger strategic position than today? 

We. Don't. Know.

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Website: solutionsfromthemultiverse.com
Email: solutionsfromthemultiverse@gmail.com
Twitter: @SolutionsFTM
Adam Braus: @ajbraus
Scot Maupin: @scotmaupin

Adam Braus Author, Blogger, Podcaster

Adam Braus is a polymath professor and professional in San Francisco. He has built many companies and non-profits and currently building a new college called Elton College. He is a lover of big ideas and new solutions.