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On June 18, 2025, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), supported by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, hosted a high-level public seminar exploring the evolving landscape of international sanctions on Russia. This seminar also marked the official launch of SITE’s new Sanctions Web Portal—an open-access platform offering data, analysis, and resources for policymakers, journalists, and researchers. The full recording is now available on SITE’s YouTube channel.

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.

A new digital portal launched today provides a comprehensive, research-driven overview of the effect of international sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Designed to help policymakers, researchers, journalists, and the public navigate the complexities of economic sanctions and their consequences, the portal offers a data-rich, systematic examination of one of the most significant tools in modern geopolitics.

Russia's car market is struggling under the weight of war, sanctions, and inflation—and it's starting to show deeper cracks in the country’s economy. A new policy brief from the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) reveals how the decline in new car sales tells a broader story about weakening household finances and growing financial risks.

In June 2024 the EU invited Ukraine to start formal membership negotiations. As part of the new Swedish strategy for recovery and reform cooperation with Ukraine, Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) has received a government grant from the Swedish Institute to launch a collaborative project with the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine (DAU), a division of the Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

This year’s Nobel Prize in Economics recognizes research revealing the powerful link between democratic institutions and stronger economic outcomes. At a time when democracy is under global pressure, the laureates’ findings are especially relevant, showing that while autocracies may enjoy short-term success, democracies lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity and innovation.

Why does demand suddenly spike and drop in supply chains? Researchers have identified a range of factors contributing to this, known as the bullwhip effect. Their study, published in Management Research Review, systematically categorizes these causes to help businesses better understand and mitigate the problem.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, led to global condemnation and sanctions. International companies were pressured to exit Russia. This policy brief examines which companies left, using data from the LeaveRussia project, and focuses on Swedish businesses that announced withdrawal but were still found in Russia. It also analyzes how these revelations affected their stock prices and investor reactions.

With 73% of Sweden's economy influenced by international shocks, policymakers and businesses require strategic adaptability – especially in light of the recent interest rate hikes by central banks around the world. In a study conducted for the Sveriges Riksbank, researcher Lina Thomas sheds light on Sweden's deep economic interdependencies on global events.

On December 6, 2022, Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) hosted the annual Development Day, this year focusing on how to maintain and organize support for Ukraine. See photos and highlights from the conference to learn more.