If politicians truly wanted to pressure Russia to stop their invasion of Ukraine the most effective means would be to make China pay dearly for their tacit and active support of Russia’s actions.
For all the bluster and wringing of hands the lack of condemnation of China is a telling sign. The logic behind this and most motives in politics is most likely money.
If politicians were trying to stop the maiming, killing and disruption of the men, women and children of Ukraine they would sacrifice their monied interests to punish the business and politicians of China.
This is a viable alternative that carries much less of a risk of sparking another world war than no fly zones or sending fighter jets to Ukraine. But, other than Anthony Blinken talking about China at small obscure meeting 2 days ago, no major news or political scrutiny has be consistently leveled at how China is continuing to enable Russia to carry out the Ukrainian invasion.
So IF the United States and Europe so want to limit further atrocities in Ukraine further punishing Russia is going to have little to no near term effect. China getting severely punished and isolated stands a much better chance of moving the needle.
It won’t happen. But it should. But unfortunately the political elites have no desire to cause any true financial pain to themselves so they will continue their grand hypocrisy and remain largely silent how punishing China may be the key.