Editor's Note: This assessment is part of a series of analyses supporting Stratfor's 2020 Annual Forecast. These assessments are designed to provide more context and in-depth analysis of key developments over the next quarter and throughout the year. While Russia has so far weathered the increasing number of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union since its 2014 seizure of Crimea and invasion of eastern Ukraine, the West has the power to severely dim Moscow's long-term outlook. It will almost certainly refrain from doing so in 2020, however, though it might slow down one of Russia's natural gas pipeline projects and lessen its ability to sell military hardware abroad. Existing Sanctions The sanctions have significantly affected Russia's economy, forcing Moscow to reroute a significant volume of trade, particularly in food products, and spurred it to try to make its industries less reliant on imports.