News
Join us for Nobel Calling Stockholm
03 September 2025
When the Nobel Prizes are announced in October, all eyes turn to Stockholm. To celebrate – and understand – this year’s Nobel Prizes, Nobel Calling Stockholm invites the public to explore how research shapes society and everyday life. Join us for ten days of lectures, talks and activities across the city that inspire, enlighten and open new perspectives.
New research | Rebuilding Ukraine means more than bricks — it means building a modern, secure future
02 September 2025
A new study shows that Ukraine’s postwar recovery isn't just about repairing roads and homes, but about creating a stronger economy, democratic institutions, and a future-proof nation.
In this study, Torbjörn Becker, Yuriy Gorodnichenko, and Beatrice Weder di Mauro offer a sweeping review of hundreds of policy proposals in the Annual Review of Economics, outlining what it will take to rebuild Ukraine after war.
Louise Bringselius in DN Debatt on the role of experts in society
01 September 2025
Louise Bringselius, affiliated researcher at the House of Governance and Public Policy (GaPP) at SSE, highlighted in an opinion piece in Dagens Nyheter last Friday the importance of strengthening the role of experts in public administration. She points out how the marginalization of professionals risks weakening both institutions and trust in society.
A roundtable on the future of public leadership in Sweden
27 August 2025
On August 18, 2025, the Karl-Adam Bonnier Center of Governance at the House of Governance and Public Policy hosted a roundtable dinner to discuss the need for a Master of Public Policy (MPP) program in Sweden. The conversation highlighted both the urgency and opportunity of investing in the next generation of societal leaders.
The Swedish Spy-Master Thede Palm’s Cold War
13 August 2025
Center Director Rikard Westerberg portraits Thede Palm in Engelsberg Ideas
How effective are current sanctions on Russia — and how can enforcement be strengthened?
30 June 2025
On June 18, 2025, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), supported by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, hosted a high-level public seminar exploring the evolving landscape of international sanctions on Russia. This seminar also marked the official launch of SITE’s new Sanctions Web Portal—an open-access platform offering data, analysis, and resources for policymakers, journalists, and researchers. The full recording is now available on SITE’s YouTube channel.
Why frozen Russian assets may be Ukraine’s best bet
18 June 2025
As Ukraine continues to defend itself and rebuild from war, one idea is gaining traction: seize Russia’s frozen assets to help foot the bill. This policy brief, by Anders Olofsgård, Deputy Director of SITE, explores legal and economic arguments that support the case for turning these resources into a long-term support fund for Ukraine’s recovery.
New portal tracks the real impact of sanctions on Russia
18 June 2025
A new digital portal launched today provides a comprehensive, research-driven overview of the effect of international sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Designed to help policymakers, researchers, journalists, and the public navigate the complexities of economic sanctions and their consequences, the portal offers a data-rich, systematic examination of one of the most significant tools in modern geopolitics.
SITE’s Torbjörn Becker briefs EU on Russia’s economy and effects of sanctions
16 May 2025
On May 13, Torbjörn Becker, Director of the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), presented SITE’s latest report on the Russian economy to the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) in Brussels. The meeting brought together EU Finance and Economy Ministers to address the Union’s internal economic and financial priorities, while also making space to consider the broader implications of Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. This discussion comes at a particularly timely moment, coinciding with the EU’s preparations for its 17th sanctions package, which is expected to be formally adopted by the Council on May 20.
Russia’s counter-sanctions: Defending or damaging its economy?
13 May 2025
Russia’s attempt to fight back against international sanctions is steering its economy toward more government control and less competition. This new policy brief analysis, by Anna Anisimova from the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), reveals how measures meant to protect the economy are instead tightening state grip on industries, stifling growth, and threatening fiscal stability.