Political Risk in the System of New Geopolitical Realities

Abstract

This monograph presents a comprehensive study of the evolution of theoretical, legal, and social understandings of political risk in the context of the transformation of the world order. The work comprehensively analyses the nature and essence of political risk, its classifications, and assessment methods, with an emphasis on the growing role of foreign sanctions as a key risk factor in contemporary international relations. Particular attention is paid to the unprecedented sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, imposed since 2014 and significantly tightened in 2022 and continuing to the present. The author examines in detail the legal mechanisms of US and European Union sanctions, their typology (blocking, sectoral, “hybrid,” secondary, diplomatic), as well as Russia’s retaliatory measures. The paper also examines the relationship between political risks and the activities of political elites, analysing global and Russian decision-making practices in times of crisis. The final chapter focuses on practical aspects: the author proposes and substantiates his own methodology for analysing political risk indicators, integrating the sanctions factor into existing research methodologies. The developed tools allow investors, politicians, military personnel, and decisionmakers to assess the sanctions environment and forecast political risks more accurately. The monograph is intended for specialists in the field of political science, international relations, legal scholars, as well as for anyone interested in the problems of interaction between the state, business, and political institutions in the context of new geopolitical realities.