The inclusion of economic and financial instruments by the collective West into the architecture of the Cold War (late 40s – 50s of the 20th century)

Aim. To reveal the use of European integration processes and other economic and financial instruments by the collective West in the unfolding of the Cold War in the late 40s – 50s of the 20 th century. Methodology. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research was built on the principles of objectivity and historicism, as well as such general scientific methods as problem-chronological and historical-comparative. Results. The article attempts to prove that in the unfolding the Cold war in the late 40s of the twentieth century, the then collective West actively used various economic and financial instruments, trade restrictions, and that one of these main instruments – European integration economic processes – was integrated into the architecture of the Cold War by the efforts of the political leadership of Western countries. Along with this, this paper concludes that the Soviet critical assessment of the activities of the United States and the leading countries of Western Europe aimed at using economic discriminatory means of combat in the Cold War against the socialist countries is, for the most part, still relevant today. Research implications. This article will help to better understand the place of the collective West in the unfolding of the Cold war against the USSR and its allies using economic, financial instruments, trade restrictions in general, and European integration processes in particular. The materials contained in the article can be used to prepare textbooks on the history of international relations and the history of European economic integration.