Sunday Best: We are entering a darker phase

After Russia's atrocities in Ukraine, what comes next?

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 10, 2022 Over the past week, reports of Russian atrocities, including torture and summary executions in areas around Kyiv, have reverberated across the world. Ukrainians are not only losing their homes and loved ones; they're facing the full depravity of humanity. The United States has responded with sanctions on Russia's biggest banks and state-owned companies. And the European Union has outlined its own measures, including a ban on imports of Russian coal. But will this change the course of the war? President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is not alone in arguing that measures could go further. The flow of Russian oil and gas to European countries crucially remains untouched. Germany, which on the eve of the war received 55 percent of its natural gas imports from Russia, "has in effect become Putin's prime enabler," argued Paul Krugman. With the prospect of a peace deal looking increasingly unlikely, Fiona Hill, who has worked on national security for three U.S. presidents, offers a bleak assessment: We are entering a "much darker" phase. — Jennifer Brown Evgeniy Maloletka/Associated Press 'At Night I Dream of Mariupol': Nine Accounts of Surviving a Russian Siege Mariupol, Ukraine, has been encircled by Russian forces for about a month. We have collected the statements of people who recently escaped. Larry Fink Guest Essay Straight People Need Better Rules for Sex What if consent isn't enough? By Christine Emba Illustration by The New York Times; Photographs by The New York Times, Lucas Foglia Round Table Four Opinion Writers on How the G.O.P. Fringe Took Over American Politics Jamelle Bouie, Ezra Klein and Jane Coaston join Lulu Garcia-Navarro to discuss culture-war legislation, political strategy and sanctions on Russia. By Lulu Garcia-Navarro, Ezra Klein, Jane Coaston and Jamelle Bouie Igor Bastidas Guest Essay Baseball Is Dying. The Government Should Take It Over. A modest proposal for saving our national pastime. By Matthew Walther Some of the Biggest Brands Are Leaving Russia. Others Just Can't Quit Putin. Here's a List. Which companies have left Russia? And which are staying? By Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT EDITOR'S PODCAST PICK Reuters Why Russian Sanctions Won't Stop Putin A former head of NATO's armed forces, Gen. Philip Breedlove, makes the case for what will stop the war instead. By 'The Argument' Subscribe Today New York Times Opinion curates a wide range of views, inviting rich discussion and debate that helps readers analyze the world. This work is made possible with the support of subscribers. Please consider subscribing to The Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Sunday Best from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018