Reports

Discussion Papers

No.944 Trade Effects of the Russia–Ukraine Conflict: Can Neutral Countries Really Fish in Troubled Waters?

by Kazunobu Hayakawa, Satoru Kumagai

October 2024

ABSTRACT

This study empirically investigates the trade effects of the 2022 Russia–Ukraine conflict. Specifically, we examine the impact of multinational enterprises (MNEs) from Western countries (sanctioning countries) on exports to Russia from neutral countries (non-sanctioning countries). To do this, we examine exports from 32 neutral countries. As a result, we found that, on average, neutral countries significantly increased their exports to Russia after its invasion, but the increase in exports to Russia was smaller in neutral countries with a greater presence of MNEs from Western countries. Furthermore, exports to Russia even decreased from neutral countries with the highest presence of MNEs from Western countries. This result implies that even for countries that did not impose any export restrictions, the export restrictions taken by Western countries can affect those countries’ exports to Russia.

Keywords: Economic sanctions, Trade, Russia, Ukraine
JEL classification: F15, F53

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