What are economic sanctions, and how did they become Washington’s foreign policy tool of choice?

4 yıl önce

The Biden administration is preparing a new package of sanctions targeting Russia in an effort to deter it from invading Ukraine â and to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies in the event of a conflict.

Get the full experience.Choose your plan

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that President Biden was prepared to take this round of measures even further than the ones President Barack Obama imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014.

This threat, though, comes as little surprise: From Cuba to Myanmar, economic sanctions have become a favored tool in Washington.

They have driven debates as Iran and the United States met separately with European counterparts to discuss reviving the 2015 nuclear deal â including the repeal of U.S. sanctions. Since taking office, Biden has reinstated sanctions against Myanmar for human rights violations, targeted Russia for its jailing of opposition figure Alexei Navalny and its cyberespionage campaign, focused onChinese officials for the erosion of democracy in Hong Kong and reimposed sanctions on Cuban officials for their regimeâs crackdown on protesters in July.

Hereâs what to know about the evolution of U.S. sanctions.

Biden administration imposes sanctions on Cuban officials following attacks on protesters