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

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.

Content

In the News

Apr 7, 2022

Lipsky interviewed on CNN Connect the World on global alignment in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine

Watch the interview here.

Conflict Economy & Business

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Slavin in Mediterranean Dialogues: To Deal or not to Deal: JCPOA at a Crossroads

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Iran

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Slavin quoted in the Daily Mail on concerns about Iran nuclear deal in Congress

By Atlantic Council

Arms Control Extremism

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Azodi quoted in Al Jazeera on internal pressures and concerns for Iran and the US as they near a nuclear deal

By Atlantic Council

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion International Norms

BelarusAlert

Apr 6, 2022

Belarusian railway rebellion disrupts Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine War

By Brian Whitmore

Railway workers in Belarus are staging a quiet rebellion against the country's supporting role in Vladimir Putin's Ukraine War and are creating headaches for Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Belarus Conflict

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Ashford in DW: West toughens Russia sanctions after Bucha killings

By Atlantic Council

On April 6, Emma Ashford was interviewed on DW about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the potential implications of cutting off Russian oil and gas imports to Europe. “The sanctions that have been levied on Russia, including the ones today, are probably not going to cause Russia to withdraw. But they are dialing up the […]

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Ashford in NPR’s All Things Considered: Where do sanctions on Russia go from here? A foreign policy expert weighs in

By Atlantic Council

On April 6, Emma Ashford was interviewed on DW about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the potential implications of cutting off Russian oil and gas imports to Europe. “These sanctions were initially intended as a deterrent. The Biden administration said to Russia, ‘If you invade Ukraine, we will slap the sanctions on you,’ in the […]

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Apr 6, 2022

Genocide in Ukraine: Putin will not stop until the world stops him

By Mykhailo Tkach

If Western leaders wish to defend the rules-based order that has served them all so well since WWII, they must urgently do so in Ukraine by supplying the country with the offensive weapons needed to defeat Russia.

Conflict European Union

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Azodi quoted in Al Jazeera US-Iran nuclear talks and possible concessions in final stages

By Atlantic Council

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Iran

In the News

Apr 6, 2022

Lipsky quoted in Politico on Russian debt and credit rating

Read the full article here.

Conflict Economy & Business

Experts