Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Financial sanctions and other forms of economic coercion have become policy tools of choice for the US government to deter illegal activity by international actors or to pressure governments into reversing actions that harm US interests. Yet these instruments and their potential pitfalls are often misunderstood. Restrictive economic measures such as financial sanctions, export controls, tariffs, and investment screening can play an important role in advancing certain policy objectives, but they risk being ineffective if misapplied or poorly implemented. Policymakers must also recognize the impact of economic statecraft on the private sector, which bears many of the compliance burdens and operational costs associated with these measures.

Energy Sanctions Dashboard

This dashboard focuses on US sanctions and restrictive measures placed on crude oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela—including the unintended consequences and the lessons learned.

Econographics

Apr 17, 2025

Russia Sanctions Database

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze, Lize de Kruijf

The Atlantic Council’s Russia Sanctions Database tracks the level of coordination among Western allies in sanctioning Russian entities, individuals, vessels, and aircraft, and shows where gaps still remain.

Eastern Europe Economy & Business

Recent analysis

Manning in VOA: What is the “North Korea Problem” of the United Nations General Assembly?

Econographics Sep 16, 2025

The Supreme Court’s decision on Trump tariffs will have lasting impact on US economic statecraft

By Stephanie Connor

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules, the case will shape US economic policy for years to come.
Economy & Business Trade and tariffs
Manning in VOA: What is the “North Korea Problem” of the United Nations General Assembly?

New Atlanticist Mar 28, 2024

The axis of evasion: Behind China’s oil trade with Iran and Russia

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze

Beijing has developed a way to import Iranian and Russian oil while bypassing the Western financial system and shipping services.
China Economy & Business
Manning in VOA: What is the “North Korea Problem” of the United Nations General Assembly?

Testimony Feb 21, 2025

Kimberly Donovan testifies to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on the Axis of Autocracy

By Kimberly Donovan

On February 20, Economic Statecraft Initiative Director Kimberly Donovan testified to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission at a hearing titled, “An Axis of Autocracy? China’s Relations with Russia, Iran, and North Korea.”
China Economy & Business

Programs

At the intersection of economics, finance, and foreign policy, the GeoEconomics Center is a translation hub with the goal of helping shape a better global economic future.

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Content

In the News

Sep 12, 2020

Manning in VOA: What is the “North Korea Problem” of the United Nations General Assembly?

By Atlantic Council

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Korea

In the News

Sep 10, 2020

Cohen quoted in Deutsche Welle on sanctions related to Nord Stream 2
Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Sep 9, 2020

Mihailescu writes in Foreign Policy on strategy regarding North Korea

By Andrea R. Mihailescu

Read the full article here.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion International Organizations

UkraineAlert

Sep 6, 2020

Has Vladimir Putin poisoned his pet pipeline project?

By Diane Francis

Germany had long resisted US calls to abandon the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, but the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has now sparked a dramatic shift in German opinion.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Geopolitics & Energy Security

In the News

Sep 6, 2020

Åslund in The Hill: Russia’s aggression can and should cost Putin dearly

By Atlantic Council

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion International Norms

In the News

Sep 4, 2020

O’Toole quoted in The Moscow Times on US sanctions in response to Navalny’s poisoning
Europe & Eurasia Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Event Recap

Sep 3, 2020

Expert panel responds to incidents of North Korean sanctions evasion in the DRC

By Africa Center

On Thursday, September 3, the Africa Center hosted a virtual panel to discuss the latest report published by The Sentry: Overt Affairs: How North Korean Businessmen Busted Sanctions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Sentry’s Director of Illicit Finance Policy Ms. Hilary Mossberg provided opening remarks alongside Africa Center Director of Programs and Studies Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, […]

Africa Corruption

AfricaSource

Aug 31, 2020

A no strings attached policy toward Sudan

By Cameron Hudson

Secretary Pompeo’s stopover in Sudan last week marked another momentous step forward in the rapidly warming bilateral relationship between Sudan and the United States—the first visit to Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, by a US Secretary of State in fifteen years. Unlike Condoleezza Rice’s stopover in 2005, aimed at heaping pressure and opprobrium on the country’s then-autocratic […]

Africa Democratic Transitions

In the News

Aug 25, 2020

Ambassador Fried Quoted in NY Times on Nord Stream II

By Daniel Fried

Read the full article here.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Germany

In the News

Aug 14, 2020

Deputy Director Julia Friedlander’s Op-Ed for the Hill on the Implications of the Current Sanction Regime

By Julia Friedlander

Read the full article here.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Iran
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Experts

Staff

Nitansha Bansal

Associate Director

Cyber Statecraft Initiative

Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity

Fellow

Ryan Berger

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Americas Cybersecurity

Fellow

Chris Brummer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Fellow

Michael Carpenter

Distinguished Fellow

Eurasia Center Europe Center

Eastern Europe National Security

Fellow

Hagar Hajjar Chemali

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Fellow

Claire Chu

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

China Chinese
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