European Union countries have imposed a range of sanctions on Russia, resulting in a decrease in exports of various goods and services. The data supports this claim, with EU exports to Russia experiencing a significant decline of 31% during the first five months of this year.
However, an interesting trend has emerged – exports from EU countries to Russia’s neighboring nations have experienced a remarkable surge. One notable example is Germany, whose exports to Kazakhstan have increased by an impressive 105% compared to the previous year. Similarly, exports to Central Asia and Belarus have seen a substantial rise of 75%.
While it cannot be confirmed that all of these exported goods are bound for Russia, there is strong speculation that a significant portion of them are indeed headed in that direction. Robin Brooks, the chief economist at the Institute of International Finance, highlighted this possibility in a tweet where he shared a chart depicting the situation.
This trend is not limited to Germany alone. Sweden has also witnessed a surge in its exports to Kazakhstan. Moreover, countries like Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have seen an increase in their exports to Kyrgyzstan.
The increased exports to these neighboring countries suggest alternative routes for EU goods, potentially avoiding the restrictive sanctions on Russia. It is crucial to closely monitor this situation and its implications on trade dynamics within the European Union.