My Theory Says Sanctions on Russia Won’t Work. So Why Do I Want Them Anyway?

The inventor of the sanctions paradox stress tests it 25 years on.

A photo illustration shows Vladimir Putin standing and looking down at a piece of paper with caution tape in front and behind him for a story about sanctions. September 10, 2025, 12:01 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Russia’s War in Ukraine

Understanding the conflict three years on.

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It has been more than 40 months since Russia invaded Ukraine, which means that it has been more than 40 months of economic sanctions being imposed on Russia. The very fact that Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine revealed how the threat of sanctions failed as an instrument of deterrence—and Russia’s unceasing prosecuti

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