Russia's former president Medvedev said today (April 3rd): "In fact, Russia is almost not trading with the United States and the EU, and almost all trade is under sanctions. However, our economy is now growing by 3%. We will follow the advice of Laozi (an ancient Chinese philosopher), sit by the river, and wait for the enemy's body to drift by. The EU economy is a rotten corpse."
Medvedev mentioned that the Russian economy has grown by 3% under the extreme sanctions from the US and Europe, which is indeed a noteworthy phenomenon. The short-term impact of the sanctions has not destroyed its resilience, especially supported by energy exports and import substitution policies, showing a certain adaptability in the Russian economy.
Medvedev quoted the philosophical thoughts of Laozi, expressing a strategic patience of "active response through stillness." This metaphor is both a psychological warfare and a strategic statement: Russia is not eager to confront the West but chooses to wait for the intensification of internal contradictions within the West.
This strategy is not without basis. High inflation, energy crises, and internal political divisions in Western countries have indeed provided Russia with some "breathing space."
As for Medvedev's analogy of the EU economy as a "rotten corpse," this strong metaphor is more of an emotional expression,
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828386814830723/
Disclaimer: The article only represents the author's personal views.