The European Union has mobilised multiple tools of its external action in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, most notably a multitude of sanctions. These restrictive measures, currently five sanctions packages, are “designed to weaken Russia’s economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets, and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war”.

At this first ENGAGE roundtable, Ana Hernández Sierra, Viktor Szép and Jan Wouters will discuss how the EU uses sanctions to respond to violations of international law and threats to European security. The panellists will shed light on the sanctions’ rationale, their place in EU foreign policy and the question of their impact and effectiveness as well as the challenges of the Union’s decision-making processes and the coordination with its international partners. The panel will be moderated by Gustavo Müller.