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AFP-Group 1-22e16, Đ. Phạm Văn Đồng, Dịch Vọng Hậu, Cầu Giấy, Hanoi (2026)

15/04/2025

February 2025: The EU ramped up Russia sanctions, aligning more closely with the U.S. by targeting assets, oil, and the shadow fleet.
https://www.skadden.com/insights/publications/2025/03/latest-eu-sanctions-extend-asset-freezes-restrict-oil-industry-dealings-and-target-shadow-fleet.

Summary:
In February 2025, the European Union (EU) adopted its 15th and 16th sanctions packages to intensify pressure on Russia. The key measures include:
Asset freezes: Imposed on 102 individuals and 65 entities, including persons and entities from China, Belarus, and North Korea.
Trade restrictions: Expanded the list of high-tech items banned from export to Russia, including CNC-related software and chromium compounds; banned the import of primary aluminum from Russia.
Targeting the “shadow fleet”: Sanctioned 153 vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil in violation of price caps, banning them from accessing EU ports or receiving services from EU operators.
Financial restrictions: Barred 13 Russian financial institutions from SWIFT and prohibited dealings with four banks using the Russian central bank’s alternative system.
These measures reflect the EU’s efforts to enhance the effectiveness of sanctions and curb Russia’s circumvention tactics, particularly through its shadow fleet.

07/04/2025

Group 1: US x Russia | China between strategic interests and U.S pressure in the Russia–Ukraine War.
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💡Article: How the Ukraine war brought China and Russia closer together.

📖Summary: On May 15, 2024, an analysis was published on the increasingly close relationship between China and Russia since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Prior to the invasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared a “no-limits” partnership. Despite Western sanctions, China boosted trade with Russia, reaching a record $240 billion in 2023. Russia became China’s main oil supplier, while China exported goods such as vehicles, machinery, and electronics to Russia. The U.S. accused China of supplying items like machine tools and microelectronics that support Russia’s defense industry during the war in Ukraine. China denied these allegations, asserting that trade with Russia is normal and that it maintains a neutral stance in the conflict. During Putin’s visit to China in May 2024, both leaders pledged to strengthen strategic cooperation, including in military and economic areas, while criticizing Western influence.

📑Discussion questions:

1. How might the increasingly close relationship between Russia and China reshape the global balance of power, especially as the West intensifies efforts to isolate Russia?

2. If China continues military cooperation with Russia despite Western pressure, how could this affect China’s diplomatic standing and economy on the international stage?

3. How could sanctions against China impact global supply chains? Is there a possibility of retaliatory measures from China?

📌Note: This article provides an overview of the benefits China gains from cooperating with Russia and how China faces Western sanctions, particularly from the U.S., in the context of the Ukraine war. The content mainly reflects the perspectives of the U.S. government and Western countries, while not addressing critical viewpoints or official statements from Russia or China. It does not explore whether China’s calls for peace are in conflict with its growing trade with Russia, or the potential unintended consequences that could impact the global economy. To gain more knowledge, visit this link: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/15/business/china-russia-ties-ukraine-war-intl-hnk-dg/index.html.

31/03/2025

Group 1: US x Russia |The US imposes sanctions on major Russian banks.
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💡Article: New U.S. Sanctions Restrict Investment and Services in Russia and Block Major Russian Banks
🔖Link: https://natlawreview.com/article/new-us-sanctions-restrict-investment-and-services-russia-and-block-major-russian

📖Summary: On April 6, 2022, the United States imposed a new round of sanctions on Russia, in coordination with the G-7 and the European Union, in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. These measures include a ban on all new U.S. investment in Russia and restrictions on certain services to Russian entities. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also expanded sanctions on two major Russian banks, Sberbank and Alfa-Bank, blocking their assets and prohibiting transactions with them. Additionally, sanctions were imposed on Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin’s daughters and members of Russia’s Security Council. General licenses were issued to allow temporary wind-down periods for certain financial transactions. These actions aim to further isolate Russia economically and restrict its access to global financial markets.

📑Discussion questions:
1. What are the potential long-term consequences of cutting off Russia from Western financial systems?
2. How should multinational companies navigate ethical and financial considerations when operating in countries subject to international sanctions?
3. Could these sanctions push Russia closer to China and other non-Western economies, potentially reshaping global economic alliances?

📌Note: This article provides a detailed overview of the latest sanctions but could benefit from a more in-depth discussion of their potential long-term impact on global markets and geopolitical stability. While the article is informative, it primarily presents the sanctions from the U.S. government's perspective without addressing counter arguments, such as how Russia might circumvent these measures or the potential unintended consequences on global economic stability. To gain more knowledge, visit this link: https://natlawreview.com/article/new-us-sanctions-restrict-investment-and-services-russia-and-block-major-russian

24/03/2025

RESPONSE OF "THE COMMUNIST BEAR' TO WESTERN SANCTIONS

Amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, Russia has made clear its intention to use its vast natural resources as a leverage tool. President Vladimir Putin has proposed limiting the export of strategic metals and raw materials, including uranium, titanium, and nickel, as a response to Western sanctions.

Russia plays a crucial role in the global supply chain for many strategic commodities. Limiting the export of these items could cause significant disruptions to Western industries, particularly those reliant on enriched uranium for nuclear reactors.

But a simple question remains: will Russia's move actually hurt the West more than itself? Some follow-up questions are proposed for further discussion.

To gain more knowledge, visit the following link: https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/putin-mulls-uranium-nickel-and-titanium-export-limits-response-western-sanctions

17/03/2025

On March 8, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian oil, natural gas, and coal imports in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He called it a “powerful blow to Putin’s war machine”, as energy exports are a major source of revenue for Russia. However, Biden acknowledged that the ban could increase fuel prices for American consumers.
While the U.S. imports only 8% of its oil from Russia, Europe is far more dependent on Russian energy and has not implemented a similar ban. Following the announcement, oil prices surged to $130 per barrel, the highest in over a decade. Biden warned oil companies not to exploit the crisis for excessive price hikes.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the decision and urged other countries to follow suit. The UK also announced plans to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022.
The ban is expected to put economic pressure on Russia but also poses challenges for global energy markets.

Find out more via this article's link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/08/russian-oil-imports-ban-us-joe-biden

10/03/2025

THE US AND EU FREEZE RUSSIAN GOLD AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES IN FEBRUARY 2022.

1. Why the US wanted to do so?
- The US wants to weaken the economy and the army capacity of Russia, meanwhile it can still give the support to Ukraine during the war.

2. Influence on Russia economy and politics
- Economic Instability: The freezing of reserves undermined Russia's ability to defend its currency and manage its economy. This led to increased inflation, higher interest rates, and overall economic instability.
- Reduced Financial Flexibility: With a significant portion of its reserves frozen, Russia faced challenges in accessing foreign currencies needed for international transactions. This reduced its financial flexibility and ability to respond to economic shocks.
- Long-term Economic Damage: The sanctions and freezing of assets were expected to have long-term negative effects on Russia's economy, potentially leading to reduced foreign investment and slower economic growth.

3. Summary of the chosen article
Western countries have implemented sanctions in order to isolate Russia from the western-dominated international financial and monetary system. Western countries have weaken Russia's efforts to minimise the influence of other financial sanctions. President Putin and his fellow travellers hoped to rely on the CBRF's reserves to mitigate the direct impact of the sanctions and continue to access to the foreign currencies.

One of the key economic goals is to make the exchange rate of Ruble collapsed. The underlying political goals were supposed to limit the Russia ability to maintain the war in terms of finance. At the same time, Putin regime took actions to prevent further fall of the ruble and surge its exchange rate.

Sanctions have long-term negative effects, such as eroding the value of reserves and encouraging non-western central banks to diversify. Russia responded to the 2014 sanctions by shifting to gold and euros, and the sanctions could also influence China's political policies.

The freezing of Russian gold and foreign exchange reserves by the US and EU in February 2022 was a significant move in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This action is closely linked to American foreign policies aimed at putting economic pressure on Russia to deter its aggressive actions and support Ukraine army.

Picture source: Pinterest

Please the original link of the article for a detailed observation: https://www.ugent.be/ps/politiekewetenschappen/gies/en/research/publications/gies_papers/2022-ukraine/freezing-russias-central-bank-reserves-much-ado-about-nothing

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