Even if we accept current Western policy, the divestment campaign will not yield the desired political outcomes.

As episodic breezes of cooler air reach European shores, the continent's inhabitants are reminded by the fact that winter is gradually but surely creeping up on them. Thus, Europeans are getting ready for a tough winter in the midst of the escalating trade conflict over Ukraine. But instead of prioritizing an uninterrupted and affordable flow of energy, the European Union has doubled down on its policy of rapidly divesting from Russian fossil fuels.

On February 24, the starting day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyden announced "massive" sanctions beyond those already implemented after the Russian take-over of Crimea in 2014. But in the months since, as the West has placed itself firmly behind Ukraine, the European Union (EU) has gone much further than traditional sanctions.