The Sanctions Paradox: US Weaponizes and Dismantles Policy Simultaneously

The United States is caught in a sanctions paradox, simultaneously weaponizing its policy to punish India while exploring ways to dismantle it as an incentive for Russia. This dual approach threatens the credibility and effectiveness of sanctions as a tool of foreign policy.
The weaponization is clear in the 50% tariffs on India, which are now fully active. This is a textbook use of economic sanctions to coerce a change in another country’s behavior, leveraging access to the US market as a powerful weapon.
The dismantling is happening in the back-channel talks with Russia. Proposals to allow Exxon Mobil’s return or to supply equipment for sanctioned LNG projects would create significant holes in the very sanctions wall the US expects others to uphold.
This paradox creates a credibility problem. If the US is willing to create exceptions for its own strategic and corporate interests, it becomes much harder to demand strict compliance from other nations. This could lead to a “death by a thousand cuts” for the sanctions regime against Russia, weakening the international coalition.