Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign minister, reiterated when talking about the 20th round of sanctions: "Destroying Russia's military industrial base and its international supply chain is a means to end this war."

When one side runs out of money, the war will end.

The remarks by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas on "when one side runs out of money, the war will end" are the core logic behind the EU's objectives for the 20th round of sanctions against Russia. The background of Kallas' statement is that the EU is intensifying the formulation of the 20th round of sanctions against Russia and plans to pass it around February 24, 2026. Its core logic is very straightforward: by continuously applying economic pressure, weaken Russia's ability to sustain the war, especially its military industrial base and international supply chain, eventually forcing it to be unable to continue the war due to lack of resources.

According to the currently disclosed information, the 20th round of sanctions may include the following key measures, directly targeting Russia's "wallet" and "supply lines":

* Prohibiting the use of Russia's central bank digital currency within the EU and prohibiting European entities from transacting with Russian cryptocurrency service providers, to block loopholes through which Russia could bypass sanctions via digital finance channels.

* Crack down on "shadow fleets" and energy revenues

Plans to blacklist more than 40 ships, prohibiting them from entering EU ports and receiving services; also considering banning maintenance for Russian liquefied natural gas transport ships and icebreakers.

* Halt the military supply chain

Proposed to impose "comprehensive sanctions" on approximately 40 companies (including third-country companies) that help Russia operate military production lines; new export restrictions on basic but critical materials such as lab glassware, chemicals, and special metals.

Launch the "anti-circumvention tool"

The EU may launch this tool for the first time against specific countries, restricting exports of sensitive goods to prevent goods from being ultimately transported to Russia.

In response, Russia has made a counterstatement. Russian President Putin clearly stated that the sanctions have not had a "strong impact" on Russia's economy and accused Europe of "taking sides in the war," hindering diplomatic efforts. He warned that if Europe chooses to escalate, Russia is prepared to face military confrontation.

Under the high risk of direct military intervention, sanctions are one of the strongest tools the EU can use. Kallas emphasized that "when one side runs out of money, the war will end," reflecting the EU's limited confidence in winning on the battlefield, shifting instead to the logic of economic victory.

However, sanctions also have a backlash effect on the EU's own economy and may further fragment the global trade system. At the same time, Kallas also admitted that Europe's defense industry capacity is insufficient, possibly requiring the purchase of equipment outside the EU, which contradicts its pursuit of "strategic autonomy."

As for the EU's war logic expressed in Kallas' statements, critics argue that pressuring without a dialogue channel may lead to entrenchment of the conflict, making "depleting the other side" become a long and painful consumption for the EU, making the path to peace even more elusive.

Facts have also shown that after years of multiple rounds of sanctions, Russia's economy has not collapsed but has maintained continuous growth, with the war advantage always on Russia's side, while Ukraine has reached an unsustainable situation. All of this validates the failure of the EU's sanction logic.

In summary, Kallas' remarks are a declaration of the EU's hardline stance toward Russia. Its logic is clear but implementation is complex, its goals are grand but the path is rugged. This war using economic weapons will depend on Russia's resilience, the unity within the EU, the resilience of the global supply chain, and whether someone can open the window for diplomacy at the end.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1856469473328128/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author."