Sanctions alone won't stop Putin - Here's what needs to be done.

It isn’t yet enough.

Despite the significant defensive weapons provided to Ukraine's military, Putin's escalating airstrikes on civilian areas and cities continue to undermine the country's remarkable resistance and resilience.

Despite the unprecedented economic and financial sanctions on Russia, President Vladimir Putin has continued to escalate the war on Ukraine.

They aren’t enough.

Despite the unexpected transatlantic and international unity, including a 141-5 resolution of the United Nations General Assembly demanding Putin end his war and withdraw his forces, Putin remains unconvinced. The quartet that voted with him - Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, and Syria - serves as a stark reminder that Putin has become a pariah.

Still, that’s not enough.

At the United Nations, 35 countries abstained from condemning Russia, hoping that Putin's actions would eventually pass without any consequences.

Despite the efforts of the United States and some international partners to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping to withdraw his support for Putin's war machine, their efforts have been unsuccessful. However, no country's actions at this time could do more to save lives and end the war.

Putin received the green light from Xi for his invasion during the Beijing Winter Olympics, and their relationship remains strong. Despite Xi's initial reluctance to distance himself from Putin, he has not yet taken any significant steps to do so.

The international community's response to Putin's invasion is a remarkable display of unity. The Biden administration deserves credit for disclosing Putin's plans early, shifting the focus of the narrative and placing blame where it is due, and subsequently rallying the world.

Despite being close to Moscow and relying on Russian energy, Europe has taken strong actions against Putin. Germany, in particular, made significant strides in just one weekend to counter Russian aggression. It lifted a ban on selling weapons to Ukraine, increased its defense spending to 2% of GDP, and allocated a special $100 billion budget for the Bundeswehr in 2022.

If additional measures do not alter Putin's course, the only viable option is to act swiftly and decisively with increased sanctions, military support, and international unity.

There are two compelling reasons why.

Putin's unyielding aerial assaults on Ukrainian civilians have triggered Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II.

The necessity to reverse a worldwide trend that could result in harsh authoritarianism or violent anarchy shaping the global future.

Robert M. Gates, in his article for the Washington Post, argues that Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has ended America's 30-year hiatus from history. As someone who has served in eight U.S. administrations, including stints as Secretary of Defense and CIA Director, Gates believes that the United States now faces powerful and aggressive adversaries in Europe and Asia who are seeking to reclaim their past glory through territorial claims and spheres of influence. According to Gates, Putin's war has provided a cold shower for democratic governments, forcing them to confront the reality of a new world in which the current strategy is insufficient to meet the long-term challenges that lie ahead.

Viewing Putin's war on Ukraine as an epochal challenge rather than a dangerous episode is both clarifying and galvanizing.

With that in mind, what should be done?

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council surveyed 37 national security experts to provide actionable military ideas, which were assessed based on the positive benefits and risk of escalation.

The best of the lot included:

• Sending more of the armed drones that Ukrainians are already using so successfully.
• Providing electronic-warfare equipment, such as satellite navigation and communications-jamming devices, would improve Ukraine's ability to disrupt and slow Putin's advance.
• Improving Ukraine's short-range air defense by increasing the number of ground-based weapons systems to better protect against Russian aircraft and missile attacks.

I prefer a partial no-fly zone in Western Ukraine, near the borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. While the U.S. and NATO may reject a no-fly zone over the entire country, it is a humanitarian necessity in Western Ukraine. It is also militarily easier to implement as it is closer to Western air bases. This would demonstrate our resolve to Putin.

The U.S., Europe, and their global partners should increase the number of sanctions against Russia.

The Russian financial system, ruble, and economy have been significantly impacted by the actions taken, according to Brian O'Toole and Daniel Fried of the Council.

As Putin's forces continue their attack, targeting civilians and turning urban centers to dust, O'Toole and Fried present a list of potential actions, ranked by impact, for the next steps.

• An expansion on the sanctions on Putin’s cronies and subordinates.
• The suggestion is to impose additional penalties on Gazprombank, Russian Agricultural Bank, AlfaBank, Sovcomfort, Russia Railways, and Alrosa.
• Blocking the Russian government through sanctioning all Russia-state-owned companies.
• Imposing a full financial embargo on Russia would prohibit all transactions, exports, and imports.

If no action is taken to stop him, Putin will undoubtedly intensify.

According to CIA Director William Burns, Putin is currently enraged and irritated, and he is likely to intensify his efforts to weaken the Ukrainian military, disregarding the impact on civilian casualties.

Putin has failed to entirely pacify and occupy Ukraine, and he has caused irreparable damage to Russia's power and prestige. However, his opponents have not achieved a complete victory. The key to shaping the global future lies in saving Ukraine and maintaining the unity of their shared cause.

Despite the impressive accomplishments against Putin so far, there is still much work to be done.

—Frederick Kempe is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlantic Council.