Sanctions Work: Degrading Russia’s War Machine - international conference livestreamed on 12 November

The effectiveness of European Union (EU) trade sanctions, Common High Priority (CHP) items and export controls, the role of crypto-assets in sanctions circumvention, sanctions enforcement, and the impact of sanctions on Russia’s economy will be the key topics of the VIII Annual sanctions conference, organised by the Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia (FIU Latvia). The conference will take place in Riga on Thursday, 12 November 2026, and will be available to watch online in both English and Latvian.

The conference will be opened by Toms Platacis, Head of FIU Latvia, followed by Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Advisor-Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Sanctions Policy, who will share his insights on the role of sanctions in constraining Russia’s ability to wage war.

The conference will be moderated by Paulis Iļjenkovs, Deputy Head of FIU Latvia, who will also deliver the closing remarks, highlighting key takeaways on sanctions implementation and the main insights shared throughout the day.

The conference in Riga will bring together around 140 participants, including attendees and speakers, from 24 countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Ukraine, Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Poland and others.

Livestream in English: https://www.youtube.com/live/JsTXWAW023Y

Livestream in Latvian: https://www.youtube.com/live/Tn3_Fjpz54Q

“Every sanctions-related requirement serves a clear purpose: to reduce Russia’s ability to continue its war. As the central authority responsible for sanctions implementation, FIU Latvia helps foster a common understanding and coordinated action to ensure this purpose is reflected in day-to-day decisions,” emphasises Marta Tilhena, Head of the Sanctions Implementation Division at FIU Latvia, who will deliver a presentation on the role of the national competent authority in ensuring effective sanctions implementation.

Mihails Kozlovs, Member of the European Court of Auditors, will present the latest findings on the effectiveness of EU trade sanctions. The discussion on the report’s findings, recommendations and way forward will also feature Timothée Truelle, Head of the EU External Relations Division at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Raimonds Zukuls, Director of the National Customs Board and Deputy Director General for Customs Issues at the State Revenue Service of Latvia.

International experts will discuss export controls and the role of the private sector in sanctions implementation, including Anu Mathur Boyd, Head of Sanctions and Export Controls at Maersk, alongside sanctions experts Chloe Cina and Dara Fernandez.

The role of crypto-assets in sanctions circumvention will be examined by Gonzalo Saiz Erasquin, Research Fellow at the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI, and Tom Robinson, Founder and Chief Scientist at Elliptic, Associate Fellow at RUSI.

International experience in combating sanctions violations and export controls will be shared by Vicky Edgecombe, Director at Global Affairs Canada, Mark Handley, Partner at Duane Morris, and Oliver Savory, Senior Sanctions Compliance & Enforcement Officer at the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation, UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

Towards the end of the conference, Yuliia Pavytska, Head of the Sanctions Hub of Excellence at the Kyiv School of Economics Institute, will present findings on the economic impact of sanctions on Russia and discuss ways to increase sanctions pressure.

Agenda in English

Agenda in Latvian

FIU Latvia is an independent authority responsible for preventing money laundering and terrorist financing, implementing sanctions, protecting the Latvian financial system from misuse, and cooperating with international partners.