See the full report: Current status, prospects, successes and gaps in the multilateral international sanctions regime against the Russian Federation
Panelists:
Hannes Swoboda, President, International Institute for Peace (IIP), former MEP
Anastacia Galouchka, Expert in Foreign Policy and International Law, International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS)
Mykola Kapitonenko, Expert in Foreign Policy at International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS) and Associate Professor at the Institute of International Relations of Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University
Peter Havlik, Senior Research Associate at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies
Moderation:
Marylia Hushcha, Research Assistant, International Institute for Peace (IIP)
Content:
Immediately after the conflict began in Eastern Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula was annexed by the Russian Federation, the international community – led by the USA and the European Union – imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation. After several years of sanctioning Russia an open question remains: how effective are the sanctions? Did the sanctions introduce a change in Russian foreign policy towards Ukraine? One can clearly recognize that the sanctions have had a negative impact on the Russian economy and the Russian ruble. However, if one looks at the main reason why the sanctions were imposed – to reverse Russian aggressive foreign policy towards Ukraine – little has changed. Still, according to Ukrainian officials the sanctions did force Russia to negotiate the Minsk II agreements and to diminish their activities in the region. With the EU announcing the extension of sanctions until the 31 July 2020 and the relations between the Russian Federation and the US reaching a new low it seems that there is little hope for lifting the sanctions and resolving the crisis.