Trump’s statement that “sanctions [on Syria] were brutal and crippling” reveals an implicit but rarely admitted truth: while often presented as a restrained, peaceful alternative to war, the reality is that sanctions have been harming the Syrian people all along.
UN member states adopted the “Compromiso de Sevilla” at the just-concluded Financing for Development Forum. It includes a paragraph that plants the seeds for something like a borrower countries’ platform.
While China rapidly advances in electric vehicles and clean energy, the U.S. under Trump is clinging to outdated fossil fuel technology, risking economic and environmental decline.
US-Israeli strikes on Iran derail negotiations while more action is needed to fully repeal Syria sanctions. Trump is still reluctant to sanction Russia despite pressure.
The US and EU lift broad Syria sanctions while Trump flip-flops on Venezuela and Russia sanctions policy. Nuclear talks between the US and Iran appear promising despite key differences.
In the first quarter, China’s economy added an estimated $420 billion in growth. The US economy, amid a quirky downturn partly due to pre-tariff import surges, lost about $24 billion — contradicting Donald Trump’s aspirations of overtaking China economically.
Trump considers additional sanctions on Cuba, announces talks with Iran, and sets conditions for lifting sanctions on Syria. Meanwhile, momentum is building for the explicit use of tariffs as a form of sanctions.
The IMF projects that China will add almost $5.1 trillion to its GDP between 2024 and 2026. The United States, meanwhile, is projected to add just over $2.5 trillion.
The US ramps up efforts targeting Cuban medical missions, while it appears that maximum pressure sanction are returning to Venezuela and Iran. A New CEPR issue brief explores how economic sanctions drive migration.
Stay informed about the evolving sanctions landscape impacting Afghanistan, North Korea, Russia, Syria and more this February.
