The Russian invasion of Ukraine has intensified the urgency of European Union (EU) enlargement, bringing Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia closer to potential membership. A new policy brief, based on discussions at SITE 2024 Development Day conference, highlights the political, economic, and security challenges these countries face as they seek EU integration​.

Ukraine has halted the transit of Russian gas to Europe, ending decades of direct pipeline deliveries and significantly reshaping the region's energy landscape. This new policy brief explores the financial and geopolitical consequences, including Europe's increased reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the risks for Moldova and Ukraine.

Moldova is now firmly on the path to European Union membership, but the breakaway region of Transnistria remains a significant roadblock. A recent policy brief, published in October 2024, explores how Transnistria's economy, though influenced by Russia, is deeply connected to Moldova and the EU.

Russia is expanding its presence in Africa, aiming to gain influence in areas with weak institutions and governments. A new policy brief published in September 2024 explores this trend and the potential consequences for Africa’s development.

Gender equality is vital for global progress. As we near the 2025 Financing for Development conference, Maria Perrotta Berlin, Assistant Professor at SITE, stresses integrating gender into financing strategies. This includes fiscal policies, social protection, and climate finance to support women, particularly in low-income areas, promoting equality, resilience, and sustainable development.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, led to global condemnation and sanctions. International companies were pressured to exit Russia. This policy brief examines which companies left, using data from the LeaveRussia project, and focuses on Swedish businesses that announced withdrawal but were still found in Russia. It also analyzes how these revelations affected their stock prices and investor reactions.

This policy brief examines the belief that electing more women to the U.S. Congress would reduce partisan gridlocks. It shows that while Republican women historically cooperated more with Democrats, this was due to ideological proximity rather than gender. Among Democrats, women cooperate less with the opposite party than men. Furthermore, recent years have seen a narrowing of ideological differences along gender-lines among Republicans, reducing gender-based cooperation disparities.

Europe, like other parts of the world, currently grapples with the dual challenges of environmental change and democratic backsliding. In a context marked by rising populism, misinformation, and political manipulation, designing credible sustainable climate policies is more important than ever. The 2024 annual Energy Talk, organized by the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), gathered experts to bring insight into these challenges and explore potential solutions for enhancing green politics.

Sweden's government aims to build new nuclear reactors by 2045 to achieve net zero emissions. This policy brief, written by Julius Andersson (SITE), compares this plan to France's successful 1970s nuclear expansion but notes significant differences: Sweden's existing low-carbon energy, cheaper alternatives, and higher nuclear costs today suggest that the benefits of new reactors may be modest and costly.

Sanctions play a crucial role in curbing Russia's ambitions & ending the war on Ukraine, yet their strategic importance is often overlooked. In this policy brief, experts from SITE, KSE, SSE Riga, CREA, Uppsala University and Beijer Institute sheds light on sanctions' complexities against Russia's aggression.