In less than two weeks, we have seen Syria go from one of the most heavily sanctioned countries on the planet to a country well on the road to establishing normal trade relations with the Western world. The latest flurry of developments started on May 13, 2025, when President Trump caught much of the world by surprise when he said in a speech in Riyadh: “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria…
On 20 May 2025, the European Union adopted its 17th sanctions package in response to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Building on the extensive measures already in place, this package signals a further tightening of economic and legal pressure points, with over 2,400 individuals and entities now sanctioned. Notably, the package reflects a growing willingness by the EU to extend its sanctions regime not only in scope but in geographic and sectoral reach. This blog…
The UK yesterday announced a new wave of sanctions targeting Russia’s military, energy, and financial sectors, in response to recent drone attacks on Ukraine . The sanctions aim to disrupt military supply chains, and curb financial institutions aiding in sanction evasion, making it difficult to sustain Russia’s war efforts. Key Measures The sanctions cover 100 new targets, consisting of: Among the individuals targeted are a British national who procured ships for Russia’s shadow fleet, marking…
On March 4, 2025, the US Department of State announced the redesignation of Ansarallah (a political movement and militia group in Yemen also known as the Houthis) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (“FTO”). The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) separately designated seven high-ranking members of Ansarallah as Specially Designated Nationals (“SDNs”) for smuggling weapons into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and negotiating weapons procurement from Russia. In addition, OFAC designated…