Overview
Partner Alexandra Melia was quoted in an article published by Global Investigations Review, "UK Quietly Introduces Powers to Issue Secondary Sanctions." The article discusses the UK Foreign Office gaining new powers to sanction those providing financial services to entities supporting the Russian government. This expansion aligns with US measures and aims to prevent sanctions evasion. While the new criteria increase the UK's sanctioning ability, professionals expect cautious application to avoid broader economic impacts.
Alexandra described the amendments to the sanctions as an unprecedented expansion of the UK’s sanctions against Russia. She said: "The UK and its partners have, by now, identified patterns of behavior that are having an impact on limiting the efficacy of sanctions. But unlike the US, the UK's sanctions architecture does not include the concept of secondary sanctions, so the UK has expanded the Russia designation criteria to an unprecedented extent in pursuit of the objective of curbing sanctions evasion and diversion."
