Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

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

Russian energy embargo: Europe must stop financing Putin’s Ukraine war 

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
Russian energy embargo: Europe must stop financing Putin’s Ukraine war 

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
Russian energy embargo: Europe must stop financing Putin’s Ukraine war 

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

UkraineAlert

Mar 27, 2022

Russian energy embargo: Europe must stop financing Putin’s Ukraine war 

By Diane Francis

Naftogaz CEO Yuriy Vitrenko has accused European countries of funding Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and called for an immediate embargo on all Russian energy exports in order to stop the war.

Conflict European Union

In the News

Mar 27, 2022

Arbit quoted in Haaretz on Biden adminstration’s foreign policy goals in the Middle East regarding Iran nuclear deal

By Atlantic Council

Defense Policy Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

In the News

Mar 27, 2022

Slavin joins BBC Sounds to discuss implications of Negev Summit on Iran nuclear deals

By Atlantic Council

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

In the News

Mar 27, 2022

Nikoladze piece on cybersecurity export controls on Russia’s tech sector featured in National Interest

Read the full article here.

Economy & Business European Union

Britain Debrief

Mar 26, 2022

#BritainDebrief – What’s the Future of Russia and its War? A Debrief from Dmitri Alperovitch

By Ben Judah

Senior Fellow Ben Judah interviews Dmitri Alperovitch, Chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank and the Co-Founder of Crowdstrike, to learn more about under what circumstances Russia would retreat from Ukraine. How will the Russian political system change in response to a retreat? Would Putin's rule be threatened by a tactical defeat in Ukraine?

Conflict Cybersecurity

In the News

Mar 26, 2022

Sales quoted in The Wall Street Journal on financial obstacles on the US and EU amidst Russia sanctions

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 26, 2022

Friedlander quoted in Yahoo Finance on the global implications of reduced Russian and Ukraine grains

Read the full article here.

Corruption Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 24, 2022

Sales in The Hill: Turn up the economic heat on Putin

By Atlantic Council

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 24, 2022

Slavin quoted in CGTN on the Russia-Ukraine conflict’s potential to impact Iran nuclear talks

By Atlantic Council

Belarus Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 24, 2022

Central Bank Digital Currency tracker cited in Brookings on the impacts of a digital dollar

Read the full article here.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion
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Experts

Fellow

Daniel Fried

Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative Eurasia Center

Eastern Europe Democratic Transitions

Fellow

Annie Froehlich

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Fellow

Hany Ghanem

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Americas Arabic

Fellow

Michael Greenwald

Senior Advisor to the President and CEO

GeoEconomics Center

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

Fellow

Agnia Grigas

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Eastern Europe Energy Markets & Governance

Fellow

Sinan Hatahet

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business
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