Is The US Weaponizing Energy Geopolitics In A Bid To Break Apart BRICS

The US has imposed new sanctions on Russia, aiming to disrupt the BRICS alliance, particularly the Russia-India-China core. These sanctions are seen as a geopolitical tool rather than an economic attack on Russia. India and China have significant trade with the US despite existing tariffs. They also benefit from a rivalry that the US could exploit. Russia is a key energy supplier to both India and China. Increased US tariffs or secondary sanctions for defying these measures could make continued reliance on Russian energy costly. The US is weaponizing the prisoner's dilemma, leveraging the rivalry between India and China. This could push them to partially comply with sanctions to prevent the other from gaining favor with the US. Both nations were already reducing Russian oil imports before the sanctions were announced. However, a complete cessation of Russian energy imports is unlikely due to current market supply limitations. Russia may offer steeper discounts to retain some sales to India and China. The US could use reduced imports to portray BRICS as disunited, even if this perception doesn't alter global realities. Ultimately, even if India and China stopped buying Russian energy, Russia's war effort would likely continue due to its financial reserves. The US might succeed in breaking the *perception* of BRICS unity, but won't achieve substantive change.