[JumpCrisscross]

> via Armenia, Egypt, and China via netting agreements

Nobody argues alternatives don't exist. Russia will pivot to China.

But for all our gripes with Beijing, they're a more rational regime than Putin's. (See: North Korea.) Russia being their vassal is better than the nonsense they are today. And China's systems are more expensive than SWIFT, which will reduce Russia's proceeds.

[rswail]

China is an empire on the rise, Russia is one in the throes of death. Russia will eventually have to choose between Europe and China.

[pyb]

Yes, it seems that Russia needs China way more than China needs Russia.

[w0de0]

Indeed, I see your point.

China’s reaction to this crisis has elucidated for me the fact that its government is a complex institution with separate power bases (cf. Putin’s lonely autocracy).

It’s clear that at least some of those nodes earnestly hold the principle of always-sacrosanct sovereignty which is a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy (and of its criticism of the West), and are not pleased with the hypocrisy now inherent in their alliance.