AxiosAxios

Russia's economy has been hobbled by the sanctions imposed on it by the West. Their main purpose is to stop the fighting. That is not happening yet.

Sanctions are increasingly one of the go-to tools in American foreign policy, all over the world, that doesn't mean they always work.

Get market news that is relevant to you. You can subscribe for free.

  • Have sanctions given Putin an incentive to cut a deal? Yes. Is the incentive strong enough for Putin to end the war? Edward Fishman, a former sanctions policy official during the Obama administration and now a Fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, said that was doubtful.

The EU imposed a fourth round of sanctions on Russia yesterday, prohibiting investments in the country's energy sector. The U.S. and Russia imposed sanctions on each other later in the day.

  • The aim of the sanctions is for President Putin to stop the war.

The carrot-stick strategy that gets your opponent to the bargaining table is the part that works. The best known example of this is the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. These measures are not obvious.

  • To show moral outrage. Some sanctions show that certain behaviors are outside the norm. The Russia sanctions worked. A lot of companies self-sanctioned or pulled out of the country.

  • To hurt the economy. Getting Russia to the negotiating table is part of this. Make it difficult for the country to operate. That is happening. Russia is at risk of default on its bonds, the stock market is closed, the ruble is down, etc.

The point is to stop the bad behavior. As any parent knows, punishments often backfire, creating resentment and distrust.

  • According to Nicholas Mulder, author of a new book on the history of sanctions, Sanctions have been effective only a third of the time in the 20th century.

  • They strengthen the resolve of the target country.

  • They also cause great damage to a country's population, leading to starvation in extreme cases, punishing those most likely to dissent.

Sanctions allow you to feel like you're doing something. Elena Chachko, a fellow at Harvard Law School who has written extensively about this strategy, said it doesn't necessarily accomplish what you want to accomplish in practical terms.

The U.S. is increasingly reliant on the dollar to fight its battles.

  • According to Chachko's research, the law allowing presidents to impose sanctions was passed in 1977.

  • The use of the economic weapon grew alongside globalization and the rise of non-state bad actors after 9/11.

  • Since the 90s, sanctions have been levied against thousands of individuals because of terrorism, cybercrime and nuclear proliferation, as well as many countries, including Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

President Joe Biden ruled out war with devastating consequences, but sanctions are the least bad option the U.S. now faces.

Do you like this article? You can get more from Axios for free.

  • A number of huge boats have been seized from Russian billionaires.

  • The European Union imposed sanctions on the owner of a soccer club on Tuesday. The EU updated its list of individuals facing assets freeze and travel bans because of their involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government punished the 55-year-old Abramovich in Britain last week.

  • AdMicrosoft
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    Put your ideas into action with the cloud products and services from Microsoft.

  • A White House list of weapons being sent to Ukraine as part of a new $800 million military support package was announced by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. Unlike long-range Predator drones, which look similar to small planes and fire missiles at targets, the smallest Switchblade model fits in a rucksack and flies directly into targets to destroy its small warhead.

  • Another alligator is on a golf course.

  • A group of international Chinese students from Cornell University staged a walk out and booed an Uyghur student during a public service career talk last week. The students of Cornell University's Master in Public Administration program walked out of a weekly speaker series after a lecture by a Fulbright scholar. The guest speaker, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), was asked why the U.S. and the international community were silent on the issue of the alleged genocide of the Uyghurs in China.

  • The AirMini AutoSet is the world's smallest CPAP. For a limited time, you can get a free prescription for the AirMini.

  • At least one Russian general was found and killed by the Ukrainians.

  • The ministry said the Russian military captured armored vehicles, tanks, and other military equipment in the video.

  • Supply chains could be under pressure due to the sanctions on Russia.

  • AdRaid
    • Why this Ad?
    • Go ad-free*

    Enjoy this stunning graphics and deep game-play.

  • Gina Scott Ligon, an expert on innovation and leadership, says that the approach of the Ukrainian President should be copied by other world leaders.

  • Lone star ticks have been found in at least six states in the U.S., carrying a mysterious and rare virus that can cause fatal illness.

  • In a world where messages about body image and beauty standards can be overwhelming, how do we raise kids who love their bodies just the way they are? The body-positive moms were asked to share their tips.

  • Few know that Amazon has millions of Prime subscribers.

  • A company in Japan 3D-printed a house in less than 24 hours. The prototype of a spherical, 3D-printed home was revealed last year. The company wanted to offer it at a low price.

  • The dog's owner was not hurt.

  • A police video shows officers surrounding a black man at a credit union after he was told he was trying to get money.

  • After spending $1,000 within three months, you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus.

  • In a tense back-and-forth, she invoked both Castro and JFK.

  • The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian armed forces said that he set up a highway to hell for Russian forces.

  • After remaining dovish last year, the Federal Reserve Chairman has led the central bank into the right camp.

  • The best home equity and cash out refinance rates are 2.3%. View rates and calculate payment. 30 Year terms. You can view rates now.

  • Putin says pro-Western Russians need to be removed from society.

  • President Putin warned Russian traitors on Wednesday that the West wanted to destroy the country. The leader of the Kremlin said that Russians who were more in tune with the West were traitors. The venomous tone was striking even for Putin, who has for years been cracking down on domestic opponents and delivering bitter rants against the West.

  • With the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, Baker Mayfield appears to be saying goodbye to Cleveland.