From sanctions to supremacy – how Russia topped Europe’s PPP GDP rankings Russia owes its impressive purchasing power parity-ranked GDP rating – 4th in the world and 1st in Europe, to its ability to neutralize sanctions, reorient trade, ramp up domestic production and slash dependence on the dollar system. Here’s how Russia did it: ✅ The West, not the world, imposed sanctions on Russia, allowing it to continue trading with ~60% of the planet, pulling a U-turn on its foreign trade partnerships –away from Europe and toward Asia ✅Import substitution: the manufacture of goods that previously had to be imported ✅ Central Bank support in eliminating vulnerabilities in trade settlements, opening the door to imports and exports via third countries ✅ A move away from the dollar to settlements in other currencies ✅ A reduction in overall dependence on resource exports in favor of growth fueled by domestic demand