15 Key Economic Questions After Russia Invades Ukraine

From sanctions to Bitcoin to the Fed.

Listen or watch all the new CoinDesk podcast episodes wherever you want.

ABOUT

This episode is sponsored by Nexo, Arculus, and FTX US.

Download this episode

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NLW explores 15 key economic questions including:

1. Why isn’t the world going even bigger on sanctions?

2. How is Russia’s economy tied to the rest of the world?

3. Why isn’t Russia scared of sanctions?

4. Will Russia retaliate by cutting off the world from its exports?

5. Will we see SWIFT sanctions?

6. Is there concern in the U.S. that SWIFT sanctions could threaten the U.S. dollar’s status as a global reserve?

7. What alternatives to SWIFT exist?

8. Does this put Bitcoin in the spotlight and shed new light on Russia’s legalization/regulation?

9. Does this situation risk the politicization of Bitcoin?

10. How does this change the discussion of CBDCs and stablecoins?

11. Why did the price of BTC drop and will we see the other side?

12. How does this change the Fed’s calculus about quantitative tightening?

13. Does this change the discussion around green energy?

14. What about China and Taiwan?

15. Is there any possibility of sanctions actually working?

“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with today’s editing by Rob Mitchell and Adrian Blust, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Vision” by OBOY. Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images News, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8.

HOST

Nathaniel Whittemore

NLW is an independent strategy and communications consultant for leading crypto companies as well as host of The Breakdown – the fastest-growing podcast in crypto. Whittemore has been a VC with Learn Capital, was on the founding team of Change.org, and founded a program design center at his alma mater Northwestern University that helped inspire the largest donation in the school’s history.