During a meeting this month with his German and British counterparts in London, French President Emmanuel Macron said the latest sanctions were weakening the Russian economy. As a result, investment has stalled, output in some sectors has plummeted, and nonpayments have soared across the economy. The Russian economy “was benefiting from many positive factors like high global commodity prices and the spending-driven boom. The Russian oil industry is also facing a growing crunch. Likewise, Russia’s metallurgy sector is in decline, despite high demand from military production plants.

Source: Washington Post December 23, 2025 15:32 UTC