ABSTRACT
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has marked a notable shift in the use of sanctions as a tool of foreign policy, particularly between “Western”-aligned states. While the use of sanctions has been increasing steadily in recent years, and notably since Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, the full-scale attack by Russia from February 2022 has ignited a much more robust approach to sanctions than we have seen before. While sanctions have long been a tool of foreign policy, the response to Russia’s actions has been marked by an unprecedented scale and coordination, particularly among Western-aligned states. This situation has not only tested the boundaries of existing legal frameworks but has also highlighted the divergent perspectives on the legality and legitimacy of sanctions, particularly when employed outside of UN Security Council authorisation.
