Geopolitics
Economic Sanctions
Definition
Penalties imposed by one country or group of countries on another, restricting trade, financial transactions, or other economic activity, typically to achieve foreign policy or security objectives.
Explanation
Sanctions range from targeted measures (freezing specific individuals' assets) to comprehensive trade embargoes. Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela are among the most heavily sanctioned countries. The effectiveness of sanctions is debated: they can constrain economies but often hurt civilian populations and may push countries toward alternative trading partners (e.g., Russia pivoting to China). SWIFT disconnection — removing a country from the global banking messaging system — is one of the most powerful sanctions tools.