Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

No matter what the country, people would unite around the leadership when the country is facing a crisis. In the minds of Russians, we will become stronger and more united when we are at the time of emergency. For the first time ever in the past two decades, Russia, as a major power in the world, not only has its own political will and advocacy, but also can depend on itself economically and show its willingness to safeguard its own interests.

The aims of Western countries to impose sanctions on Russia are to urge Russian people not to bear in mind the whole nation but only themselves. They want the people to stage street protests to overthrow their government. But on the contrary, this did not happen as they had expected, which has surprised these Western countries.

If we lived in any one of these Western countries, things would be totally different. When people in these countries experience a surge in prices, they would protest against the government which they believe does not do its job well. But in Russia, nobody has protested. People accept the devaluation of the ruble with a clear mind and there is no social panic. No consulting agencies indicate people's fears or anxieties are growing in their surveys. This shows that the government is becoming more responsible and wiser. The West has begun to realize that the crisis has made Russians united around their president.

People all know that the country will face some difficult times in the next few years, but this won't be a spiritual burden. The economic rift between Russia and the West will continue, but we can sustain ourselves. Russia does not lack resources, be it land, minerals, oil, gas and, most important of all, wisdom.

Western sanctions are even a good thing. They drive us to love our country. They also have helped accelerate the process of finding alternatives to imports. No matter people like it or not, the situation compels them to take actions. Surprisingly, these sanctions have become part of Russia's long-term economic package. Ironically, the longer the sanctions last, the more benefits Russia gets. The West seems to be reminding us that it is time to stand up and develop the economy in all aspects of society. In the years to come, we can build a brand-new Russia for ourselves and for our offspring.

Undoubtedly, the aim of US sanctions is to topple the Russian regime. Therefore, it needs to isolate Russia. After Crimea's integration into Russia, the enmity between Russia and the West was within expectation. But it is not clear whether the economic and political rivalry with the US will extend to a conflict with the whole of West.

In front of outside threat and Western hostility, the country's unity has been ensured. Russian people will never allow their President Vladimir Putin to be overthrown under foreign pressure. This view has been reinforced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, he said Russians could survive any hardship, and they will never give up their leader when they feel any foreign pressure.

So far, the West still considers the Ukrainian crisis as a regional challenge posed by Russia, but they fail to understand that Putin has declared a new battle that will create new international rules as the old system collapses.

The relationship between Russia and the West is unlikely to resume. Although the two sides have been trying to be open for dialogues, they are far from reaching a consensus. Russia will not abandon the pattern of its military patriotism. If Russia does so, it means giving up the regime and its leadership.

A powerful and united country and a sense of patriotism is the foundation for Russia to head toward success. By utilizing social potential, we can realize the country's economic modernization and national prosperity.

The author is a manager of Grand Renome Co., Ltd and lives in Moscow. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn