International Organizations’ Role in Sanctions in Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Participants or Observers?

The frequency of application of sanctions at the modern stage is increasing because of the globalization of international processes and economic integration, due to the spread of threats of armed conflicts and terrorism. It seems important to assess the role of international organizations in the sanctions policy against Russia in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Since 2014, more than 29,000 sanctions of various nature have been applied against Russia and its citizens making it the most sanctioned state in the world. These actions took place under the close attention of a number of international organizations. In connection with these circumstances and considering that Russia is a prominent participant in many kinds of international organizations, it is important to evaluate the role of international organizations in the sanctions policy against Russia. In this paper, we will examine the idea that international organizations (IOs) can play two key roles in a sanctions process: a participant or an observer. The data reflects the dynamics of the sanctions before and after February 22, i.e. tied to the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.