The availability of Euros and Dollars in Russia has disturbing implications. The Russian economy is about the size of Italy's economy. Russia is not a super-power like China and the US because the economy is so small. Russia has moved the economy toward a war economy which has huge costs in the long term. This is combined with the losses on the Ukrainian battlefield. Even factoring in the ability of Russians to suffer, people have questioned how long Russia can continue the war in Ukraine, which could be ended tomorrow by Russia leaving the occupied lands. Many observers have suggested that Russia cannot continue this needless war beyond 2025.

But then there seems to be the fact that Dollars and Euros are available in Russia, which is not something that would be expected for an economy that is struggling as supporters of Ukraine believe.

The disturbing implication is that the expected collapse of the Russian economy might not be as immanent as supporters of Ukraine hope. Russia might be able to fight beyond 2025.

Even with the traitorous president of the United States (Trump or Musk, take your pick), Ukraine can probably continue to fight successfully through 2025. But beyond this, I'm not sure. If Russia does not collapse eventually Ukraine will be exausted.

I do not think that any of this will end well for Russia, even if they manage to defeat Ukraine. Russia will, for generations, be remembered as a country that attacked another European country without provocation.

Although the Hungarians seem to have forgotten about Soviet tanks in their streets executing Hungarians, anyone with a knowledge of history remembers. The Russians were given the benefit of the doubt after the fall of the Soviet Union. This will not happen again. I don't think that the energy markets in Europe are going to be coming back anytime soon.