Is there any reason the ruble cannot become a hard currency in its own right? The US government has severely abused its position as issuer of the global reserve currency, and financial repression will remain the order of the day for the foreseeable future. It seems inevitable that more and more nations will devote their savings to gold, and hold only the bare minimum of forex reserves needed to finance imports and exports. Russia is a major exporter of many essential commodities, and the U.S. may be surprised to discover that much of the world is eager to escape from its monetary clutches and intrusive foreign policies.