Trump has repeated the false narrative that the Russian economy is struggling when just 2 days ago Reuters reported a Russian budget deficit of just 1.7% of GDP for 2024. Compare to Germany - deficit of 1.7% and the UK deficit of 4.4%.
The Russian CB increased interest rates because to economy is overheating, not crumbling. There is near zero unemployment, steadily increasing wages and the military budget is 7% of GDP, nowhere near the 20+% 'war economy' claimed by the west.
Reminder too that the world bank and IMF recently raised the Russian 'purchasing power parity' to that above Japan and Germany.
Russian losses on the battlefield are a 10th of that claimed by Zelensky, (see 'Mediazona' web page) which are parroted by the Pentagon and then Trump. Meanwhile public support for Putin in Russia remains very high, so all in all, not much in the way of leverage for the western bargaining position.
