|   | | | | SITE June 2025 Newsletter
| |
| | | | In this June edition of the SITE Newsletter, we spotlight how global developments continue to shape Ukraine, Russia, and the broader region. We feature the launch of a new sanctions web portal, offering insights into the true impact of sanctions on Russia's economy. We also examine how Western investment in Ukraine could not only drive recovery but reshape Europe's future—posing a challenge to Putin's long-term ambitions. In an interview, SITE's Deputy Director Jesper Roine unpacks how a Middle-Eastern conflict far from Eastern Europe can indirectly fuel Russia's war in Ukraine, exposing global linkages. We also explore whether AI might offer the breakthrough our energy systems urgently need.
This month's Editor's Choice explores whether frozen Russian assets could become Ukraine's most effective financial tool in the face of ongoing conflict.
As always, the issue includes latest FREE Network Policy Briefs, recent SITE in the media highlights and a look ahead to upcoming SITE and FREE Network events.
| |
|
|
|
|
| | | | SITE on Summer Break: Back in September | |
| | | | Given the gravity of the challenges facing Europe and the world, this summer offers a moment to pause. SITE will return in September, re-energized to continue exploring the critical issues of our time. Thank you for staying with us—we wish you a summer of rest and reflection.
| |
| | | | With warm regards,
Torbjörn Becker, Director of SITE, and SITE team
| |
|
|
|
|
| SITE'S NEW SANCTIONS WEB PORTAL
|
 | | Photo of Anna Ekstedt, Sanctions Coordinator, Security Policy Department, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Photo: Dominick Nilsson |
| | New Portal Tracks the Real Impact of Sanctions on Russia |
| On June 18, 2025, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) hosted a public seminar exploring the evolving landscape of international sanctions on Russia. As geopolitical tensions continue and Russia's war against Ukraine persists, the seminar provided a critical platform for examining how sanctions function, where they fall short, and what can be done to improve their effectiveness.
This seminar also marked the launch of SITE's new open-access web portal: SanctionsRussia.org—a comprehensive web portal offering curated data, analysis, and tools for researchers, policymakers, and journalists seeking to understand the impact of sanctions on Russia.
|
|
|
|
| INTERVIEW
|
 | Photo of Torbjörn Becker. Background photo: Shutterstock
|
| The West's Investment In Ukraine Could Reshape Europe's Future - And Deal A Major Blow To Putin's Vision
|
| In a recent interview with Sydsvenskan, SITE's Director Torbjörn Becker explains how a large-scale rebuilding effort—funded by the EU, G7, and possibly even frozen Russian assets—could become a powerful growth engine for Ukraine and the broader region.
|
|
|
|
| GEOPOLITICS
|
 | Photo of Jesper Roine
|
| How Does A Middle-Eastern Conflict Far From Eastern Europe End Up Boosting Russia's War In Ukraine?
|
| Rising oil prices after Israel's attack on Iran may be strengthening Putin's war efforts in Ukraine, warns Jesper Roine, Deputy Director of SITE, to TV4.
"There's no factor to Russia's ability to sustain the war than high oil prices," Roine notes. With Russia's state finances under pressure, the surge in oil prices offers a much-needed influx of resources.
Roine emphasizes the urgency of tightening sanctions: "Cutting Russia's oil revenues is one of the most effective policies to constrain its war machine." |
|
|
|
| AI AND ENERGY SYSTEMS
|
 | Photo: Shutterstock
|
| | Can AI Save Our Energy Systems Before It's Too Late? |
| | Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant dream in the energy sector—it's already reshaping how power is generated, distributed, and consumed. This policy brief, by Chloé Le Coq, Elena Paltseva & Cecilia Smitt Meyer (SITE), offers insights from SITE Energy Talk 2025 on how AI is helping countries like Ukraine, Sweden, and those in the Baltics build more flexible, efficient, and resilient energy systems. |
|
|
|
| | EDITOR'S CHOICE |
 | | Photo: Shutterstock |
| | Why Frozen Russian Assets May Be Ukraine's Best Bet |
| As Ukraine continues to defend itself and rebuild from war, one idea is gaining traction: seize Russia's frozen assets to help foot the bill. This policy brief, by Anders Olofsgård, Deputy Director of SITE, explores legal and economic arguments that support the case for turning these resources into a long-term support fund for Ukraine's recovery.
|
|
|
|
| | | | FREE NETWORK POLICY BRIEFS | |
|
|
|
|
 | | | | Has Belarus Stalled its Shift to a Market Economy? | |
| | | | By: Anatoly Kharitonchik, BEROC
| |
| | | | The private sector in Belarus had been growing steadily, nearly matching the public sector in size. But a new policy brief by Anatoly Kharitonchik warns that progress has now stalled, threatening the country's long-term economic health.
Photo: Shutterstock | |
|
 | | | | Latvia Weighs Sugar and Salt Tax to Fight Obesity | |
| | | | By: Anna Pļuta & Marija Krūmiņa, BICEPS
| |
| | | | With one of the highest obesity rates in the EU, Latvia is exploring new ways to encourage healthier eating. A new policy brief by Anna Pļuta and Marija Krūmiņa proposes a tax on processed foods high in sugar and salt, modeled on Hungary's approach, and suggests it could help reduce consumption and raise public revenues.
Photo: Shutterstock
| |
|
 | | | | Ukraine Looks South: Forging New Farm Alliances with Africa | |
| | | | As global food systems face new pressures, Ukraine is looking beyond its traditional markets and setting its sights on Africa. A new policy brief by Mariia Bogonos and Pavlo Martyshev explores how Ukraine can deepen agricultural cooperation with Sub-Saharan Africa—offering food security solutions and economic opportunities for both regions.
Photo: Shutterstock
| |
|
|
|
|
| | | | (Listed from oldest to most recent as of this month.) | |
| | | | "Meeting with the Head of the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics" (Uzbekistan National News Agency) | |
| | | | "The potato crisis reveals the truth about the Russian economy" / "Potatiskrisen avslöjar sanningen om ryska ekonomin" (Dagens Nyheter) | |
|
|
|
|
| | | | Oct 14 | Swedish-Ukrainian Business Conference | |
| | | | Oct 20 | SITE Seminar with Jens Ewald | |
| | | | On Monday, October 20, Prof. Jens Ewald, University of Gothenburg, will present their working paper at SSE and online via Zoom. MORE INFO TBA! | |
| | | | Nov 26 | SITE Seminar with Christian Ochsner | |
| | | | On Wednesday, November 26, Prof. Christian Ochsner , CERGE-EI, will present their working paper entitled at SSE and online via Zoom. MORE INFO TBA! | |
| | | | Nov 12-13 | 3rd HROMADA conference | |
| | | | Nov 28 | FREECE 2025 Workshop | |
| | | | Dec 5 | SITE 2025 Development Day Conference | |
| | | | N/A | FREE Network Academic Conference | |
|
|
|
|
| | | | THANK YOU FOR READING
THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER
| |
| | | | Follow us on our social media accounts to get the latest updates from SITE (click on the icons below).
Until then, see you in the next newsletter!
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
.png){kind=logo}
