Economic sanctions: how to use the instrument effectively

Published by the IA “Interfax-Ukraine” on February 2, 2024.

The question of how the US and other democracies can help Ukraine rebuff Russian aggression is closely related to economic sanctions or, expressed correctly, restrictive measures.

A strategic view on utilizing economic sanctions against Russia and its national entities must be likened to a well-known military strategy approach. Accordingly, ends, ways, and means should be core elements of such strategy, which I would prefer to name “Economic Sanction Strategy.” Yet another analogy could be taken into consideration – deterrence, which can be one either by punishment or by denial. “Economic” deterrence by denial is unfeasible regarding possible intervention by militarily near-peer states; the military instrument of national power matters in such a case.   Детальніше