EU Sanctions against Russia after February 2022: Major Transformational Trends

Ivan Timofeev; Polina Chupriyanova

doi:10.17323/2949-5776-2024-2-2-43-59

Ivan Timofeev MGIMO University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1676-2221
Polina Chupriyanova RIAC https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5982-3380

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/2949-5776-2024-2-2-43-59

Keywords: enforcement, sanctions, secondary sanctions, weaponized interdependence, EU, Russia

Abstract

European Union sanctions against Russia have transformed since February 2022. The dramatic increase of Russian persons and sectors of economy now under sanctions indicates serious quantitative changes taking place in the EU’s approach to its sanctions policy. However, these shifts also hint at the changing qualitative nature of EU sanctions. Specifically, this includes the EU’s revised position on the use of secondary sanctions, in addition to visible shifts taking place in EU sanction enforcement mechanisms. Unfortunately, these changes are poorly reflected in existing academic literature. The purpose of the following article is to fill in the missing gaps pertaining to these changes, as well as address the questions relating to the changes taking place in the EU’s approach in implementing sanctions against Russia after February 2022, including its dynamics and features. Supplementing the arguments reached within the article are empirical observations noted in the Russian International Affairs Council’s (RIAC) databases on sanctions, as well as an analysis of normative documents tied to the EU’s sanctions policy.

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Author Biographies

Ivan Timofeev, MGIMO University

associate professor

Polina Chupriyanova, RIAC

program coordinator

References

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