The U.S. Relies on Sanctions. Do They Even Work?

  Last week, two experts on sanctions—Agathe Demarais and Nicholas Mulder—debated the effectiveness of U.S. economic pressure on Russia with...

 

Last week, two experts on sanctions—Agathe Demarais and Nicholas Mulder—debated the effectiveness of U.S. economic pressure on Russia with FP’s Ravi Agrawal. On the one hand, both agreed, U.S. sanctions have weakened the Russian economy; on the other, it’s become clear that they are not a “magic tool.” As the two discussed, assessing whether sanctions are working requires understanding what they were meant to accomplish in the first place.

 

This edition of Flash Points dives into, and contextualizes, the sanctions debate, exploring the history of Washington’s reliance on sanctions, what their impact on Moscow has been, and how to make sanctions more effective.—Chloe Hadavas

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