The idea that sanctions help bring people to understanding is completely backwards.

One of the most meaningful experiences of my life — both as a young person and as an older adult — has been traveling to different countries and encountering different places. Cultural exchange, whether through travel, business, language learning, or simply engaging with people from different walks of life, is how you open minds. It educates. It broadens perspective. It builds understanding. And understanding is what leads to cooperation rather than conflict.

Sanctions do the opposite.

When you sanction a country and prevent ordinary, everyday people from traveling because of actions taken by their government, you are doing precisely the wrong thing. You are cutting off the very exchange that might create change.

I run a business — my wife and I have been doing this for many years. Our primary client base has always been Eastern Europe, and largely Russia. I don’t agree with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And I don’t agree with the European and American support for one side of that conflict either. I oppose both sides, because I believe conflict can and should be avoided — through dialogue. More dialogue, not less.

We have Russian clients who are wealthy. Some have benefited from this war economy. Should they be sanctioned? Should they be prevented from traveling? I don’t think so. I think they should be encouraged to travel — to see the world from a different perspective, to engage with people outside their bubble, to be exposed to ideas and values they won’t encounter at home.

Preventing them from getting visas, blocking them from seeing the world — that is a backwards strategy. It produces the opposite of what you say you want. If you genuinely want people to understand each other, to talk, to negotiate, and to reach agreements, why make it harder for them to do that?

Sanctions are precisely the wrong tool. Open exchange is the right one. People should be encouraged to travel more, not less — to engage more, not less.