Analysis: The West is running out of ways to punish Putin

The sense of revulsion about what is happening in Ukraine produced new momentum to hold Russia accountable on Monday. The European Union and Ukraine launched a new probe into potential war crimes in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, where bodies were found strewn in the street. Members of Congress called on President Joe Biden to speed up the flow of weapons into Ukraine to beat back the invasion. The European Union is facing rising pressure to accept what would be a painful economic hit by totally cutting off Russian oil and coal exports.

Biden reacted to the growing catalog of inhumanity on Monday by calling for more sanctions and for a war crimes trial to take place against Putin.

But the awful tragedy being revealed in Ukraine is that all of the measures the West is prepared to contemplate to punish Moscow and impact the long-term course of the war cannot do much to save civilians being targeted now.

The reflex for leaders to offer horrified condemnations, to demand accountability and to lash out at Putin is understandable. It’s also critical for the world not to be numbed into acceptance.

But the West is unlikely to halt Putin’s campaign of atrocities in the short term — especially since the Russian leader has proven immune from moral outrage. And given the scale of carnage already committed, including attacks on apartment blocks, hospitals and bomb shelters, he also appears to have long passed the point of any restraint.