Russia's aviation sector in chaos: sanctions negotiations with the USA!

Russia's aviation sector in chaos: sanctions negotiations with the USA!

The Russian aviation sector is facing serious challenges resulting from Western sanctions since 2022. Mercury reported that there has been an increase in machine breakdowns in recent months, largely due to loss of access to essential spare parts and repair services. There were 11 machine failures between December 2024 and January 2025, more than twice as many incidents as in the previous two months. Particularly affected are aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, which together make up around two-thirds of the Russian commercial fleet.

To improve the situation, Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian negotiator, traveled to Washington on April 3, 2025. One goal of the talks was to strengthen trade relations and possible easing of sanctions, such as Mercury further reported. Dmitriev said that despite existing disagreements, a positive dynamic can be seen in Russian-American relations. In discussions with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, possible collaborations in the Arctic and in rare earths were discussed. Nevertheless, US sanctions and the EU flight ban remain in place, while US President Trump recently announced the prospect of new sanctions, depending on Russia's willingness to sign a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Public opinion on sanctions

Despite the economic damage that sanctions against Russia could cause for Germany, the majority of the population supports these measures. Again IW reports, 71% of German citizens over 18 are in favor of sanctions against Russia. This is also reflected in a survey that shows the level of support according to political preference: 91% of Green supporters and 85% of SPD supporters support the sanctions policy. In comparison, 66% of AfD supporters reject sanctions.

In West Germany in particular, 73% support the sanctions policy, while in the East only 56% agree with it. Further survey results show that 86% of respondents do not see Russia as a reliable trading partner in the next ten years. Almost three quarters of the population are of the opinion that frozen trade relations are largely damaging the German economy more than the Russian one. Despite these concerns, there is a high willingness to bear economic costs in solidarity with Ukraine, as well as calls for continued sanctions pressure to weaken Putin's war economy. In this context, it is recommended to continue the energy and growth policy without Russian energy sources in order to minimize further economic damage.