Economists for Ukraine

Publications

No justice, no peace?

Peace treaties don’t always bring peace. Sometimes they only change the form of war. As the world anticipates hopefully an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and some observers suggest that peace may come at the cost of Ukrainian territory, it’s important to remember that the short-term joy that will almost certainly accompany peace could be merely a prelude to years or decades of carnage unless the peace is just and stable.

By Dan O’Flaherty

Time to Save Higher Education in Ukraine is Running Out

As the new academic year approaches, government officials, faculty, administrators, and students are tackling the massive challenges of keeping education going in wartime. The survival of many Ukrainian universities is now at stake due to lack of funding, displaced staff and students, and destroyed infrastructure.

By Tatyana Derugina and Margaryta Klymak

Why the disclosure of natural gas origins is important for Ukraine

The EU has banned most of Russia’s oil exports, but little action has been taken on natural gas trade. This column argues for a disclosure requirement targeted at gas traders, detailing the share of gas they buy from Russian sources. Such a measure would address the information deficit for consumers and empower supportive citizens and businesses to switch away from Russian gas. As an additional benefit, this measure would accelerate the clean energy transition in Europe.

By Iryna Sikora and Boris Vallee

Why We Should not Allow Putin to Turn Russia-Ukraine War into a Frozen Conflict

After failing to capture Kyiv, the Kremlin focused its efforts on seizing and holding Donbas region and the south of Ukraine. In Donbass, Kremlin’s scorched-earth tactics have recently stalled. Russia’s slow advance in Ukraine combined with substantial military casualties mean that Putin desperately needs a pause in the war to regain his army’s weakening strength. This may temporarily freeze the conflict, but it will not bring a permanent peace to Europe.

By Olena Stavrunova and Mats Marcusson

Full energy embargo: short-term pain for a brighter future

Russia is one of the top three fossil fuel producers in the world, and its economy relies heavily on revenues from oil and natural gas. A full embargo on Russian energy today by the EU alone would already decrease its GDP per capita by 1,500-2,500 USD (or 10 to 25%), a significant reduction to weaken Moscow’s capacity to sustain its aggression against Ukraine.
By Kevin Berry and Iryna Sikora

Moscow’s Gas Freeze Shows EU-Russian Trade Is Doomed

Since Feb. 21, unprecedented sanctions have not only targeted important sectors of the Russian economy but also frozen Russian central bank reserves. The idea was to impose severe economic pain on Russia and indirectly affect its ability to sustain a prolonged war. But today, the situation has reversed, and Russia is self-sanctioning by restricting its gas supplies to the EU. Instead of reaping the revenue from the gas sale over the long term, Russia is choosing to cut the gas flow.
By Oleg Korenok and Swapnil Singh

Russian Sanctions Are Working but Slowly

With the Russian ruble now trading at 55 rubles per dollar, well above where it was prior to the invasion, and Russia’s economic output not having collapsed, the initial optimism about the effectiveness of the unprecedented sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies has started to fade. Does that mean the sanctions regime has been a failure? We do not believe so.
By Oleg Korenok, Swapnil Singh, and Stan Veuger

How to Organize Reconstruction Aid for Post-War Ukraine

Before significant funds are committed to Ukraine’s reconstruction, it is important to determine who will control and direct the money and how the recovery will be structured. Internal and external transparency will be crucial, as well as planning for a project that could take years.
By Yuriy Gorodonichenko, Anastassia Fedyk, and Ilona Sologoub