The International Working Group on Russian Sanctions
Latest from the Working Group
Download the latest white paper, "Implementation of the Oil Price Cap," read the statement on an "Introduction of a Low Price Cap on Russian Oil Products," and browse the most recent Washington Post op-eds from Michael McFaul.
Strengthening Sanctions against the Russian Federation
We have convened a working group of independent, international experts to recommend new economic and other measures to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine as soon as possible and restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Our working group aims to provide expertise and experience to governments and companies around the world by assisting with the formulation of sanctions proposals that will increase the cost to Russia of invading Ukraine, and support democratic Ukraine in the defense of its territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
Our group applauds the actions that have been taken by dozens of governments around the world to sanction Russian companies and individuals, put in place export controls to Russia on critical technologies, and pressure private companies to stop doing business in Russia. We also applaud the steps that have been taken independently by private companies from around the world to stop trading, investing, and doing business in and with Russia. We welcome the actions taken by multilateral financial institutions to suspend their activities with Russian partners. At the same time, we believe that more – much more – can be done to urgently increase pressure on Putin to withdraw his army from Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine in seeking to stop the flow of revenues that underwrite Russia’s brutal war and atrocities against civilians.
While seeking input from and coordination with numerous governmental officials – including especially from the Government of Ukraine – as well as private companies, all members of our working group participate in their individual capacities. We are united in believing that sanctions on Russia should be expanded as quickly as possible until Putin withdraws Russian armed forces from Ukraine. Some now argue that there is nothing left to do regarding economic pressure on Russia; our working group radically disagrees. Finally, we recognize that tightened sanctions, which impede revenue flows and increase the cost of this war, are not a substitute for military and humanitarian assistance, diplomacy, or other foreign policy instruments that should be debated and pursued separately. Our focus here is just on one aspect of the larger, international strategy needed to help end this horrific war.
Papers
Statements
Memos and Articles
The Price Cap on Russian Oil Exports, Explained
Putin’s Energy War Against Europe Also Targets the U.S. Here’s How Washington Can Fight Back.
European Integration Is the North Star for Energy Reform in Ukraine
While Putin Doubles Down in Ukraine, His Gas Gambit Is Failing
Bolstering Energy Security in Northeastern Europe Through Transatlantic Cooperation
Europe Can Win Putin’s Gas War but Must Learn Nord Stream Lessons
Putin Is Going to Lose His War
A Visa Ban Is a Sanction the West Should Impose
Are Those Corporate Compliance Policies Just a Pile of Papers, or a Reflection of Values?
Don’t Stop Now — Tech Sanctions Can Wreck Putin’s War Machine
Yes, It Hurts: Measuring the Effects of Western Sanctions Against Russia
The EU’s Relations with a Future Democratic Russia: A Strategy
The Myth of Putin as World Energy Czar is Running Out of Gas
Foreign Policy: Actually, the Russian Economy is Imploding
Business Retreats and Sanctions Are Crippling the Russian Economy
SLIDE DECK: Business Retreats and Sanction Are Crippling the Russian Economy
CSIS - Smart Oil Sanctions Against Russia
Russia Sanctions: Adapting to a Moving Target
Naspers to Sell Russia’s Biggest Online Classifieds Business Avito
Kyiv Post: Sanctions and the “Art of Smart”
The Right Way to Sanction Russian Energy
Moritz Schularick Argues that Germany Should Immediately Cut Off Russian Gas
Making the GTS Europe’s Sole Channel of Gas Sales with Russia
Russia Sanctions – Climbing the Escalation Ladder
Macro Notes – Russia: Payments Systems and Digital Ruble
Curbing Russian Oil and Gas Revenues: Next Steps
Macro Notes: Impact of an EU Oil Embargo
Arguments for Priority Sanctions on Russia
Macro Notes – Europe’s National Gas Conundrum
Impact of Sanctions on Russian Economy
The Rigidity of Russian Oil Holds the Key to Smart Sanctions
Note on Gaps in Sanctions: US and EU
Oil Embargo Roadmap: Four Steps To a Full Embargo
Macro Notes – Russia Sanctions: A Possible Energy Embargo
Macro Notes – Russia Sanctions: Financial Sector Stabilizing
Macro Notes – Russia: Economy to Contract Sharply in 2022
How to Stop Former Western Leaders From Becoming Paid Shills for Autocrats
Russian Energy Ban Myth Buster
Sanctions Summary for the Period March 24-29
The Economic Rationale for Oil and Gas Embargo on Putin’s Regime
Recent Events

Additional Reading
The following are not all published by Working Group members but are useful for understanding the many issues surrounding Russia's war on Ukraine.
Gas Prices Can Go Down as Well as Up, and Logic Says That They Will
Fact vs. Fiction: Kremlin Disinformation About International Sanctions
Don’t Believe Putin – the Russian Economy is Suffering a Catastrophic Shock
Economic Impact of Sanctions on Russia
Refusal of Gas from Russia Costs the EU Less than the First Year of Covid.
How a European Union Tariff on Russian Oil Can Be Designed
EU Risks Letting Putin’s Gas Divide-and-Rule Strategy Win
National Agency on Corruption Prevention Sanctions List
Public Database of Domestic Politically Exposed Persons of Russia and Belarus
Working Group Members
- Sergey Aleksashenko
- Dr. Anders Åslund
- Tania Babina
- Tetyana Balyuk
- Andriy Boytsun
- Tymofii Brik
- Charles W. Calomiris
- Edward C. Chow
- Anne Clunan
- Tatyana Deryugina
- Larry Diamond
- Anastassia Fedyk
- Edward Fishman
- Daniel Fried
- Francis Fukuyama
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Yuriy Gorodnichenko
- Sergei Guriev
- Denis Gutenko
- Steve Hellman
- John E. Herbst
- James Hodson
- Eric T. Johnson
- Bronte Kass
- Craig Kennedy
- David Kramer
- Sergiy Leshchenko
- Oleksandr Lysenko
- Michael McFaul
- Christopher Miller
- Benjamin Moll
- Richard Morningstar
- Iryna Mudra
- Tymofiy Mylovanov
- Dmytro Natalukha
- Jacob Nell
- Richard Nephew
- Olesksandr Novikov
- Steven Pifer
- Andriy Pyshnyy
- Lukasz Rachel
- Elina Ribakova
- Alexander Rodnyansky
- Dr. Benjamin L. Schmitt
- Moritz Schularick
- Stephen Sestanovich
- Dr. Maria Shagina
- Natalia Shapoval
- Andrey Simonov
- Maria Snegovaya
- Daria Sofina
- Ilona Sologub
- Oleksandr Starodubtsev
- Dr. Kathryn Stoner
- William B. Taylor
- Pavlo Verkhniatskyi
- Yuriy Vitrenko
- Vladyslav Vlasiuk
- Denys Yatsyshyn
- Svitlana Zalishchuk
- Daria Zarivna
Economists for Ukraine (econ4ua.org) is a group of economists with expertise in macroeconomics, finance, behavioral economics, public finance, innovation, and game theory, organized by Ukrainian-American Economists (Tania Babina, Tetyna Balyuk, Tatyana Deryugina, Anastassia Fedyk, Yuriy Gorodnichenko, James Hodson, Ilona Sologub) to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Our group works to raise awareness about important issues with regards to stopping Russian aggression, as well as future consequences, new sanctions to impose on Russia, coordination with international organizations about economic policy responses, humanitarian efforts, a Marshall plan to rebuild Ukraine, and opportunities for Ukrainian scholars and students abroad.