Russia’s military operation in Ukraine has triggered a rare reaction from the ‘historically’ neutral Switzerland: sanctions against Russia.
Switzerland, the banking system of which has often been a safe haven for Russian oligarchs, announced Monday that it will freeze Russian assets and enact EU sanctions against Russia.
“To play into the hands of an aggressor is not neutral. Having signed the Geneva convention of human rights, we are bound to humanitarian order,” Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said, according to CNN. “Other democracies shall be able to rely on Switzerland; those standing for international law shall be able to rely on Switzerland; states that uphold human rights shall be able to rely on Switzerland.”
Cassis said Switzerland stands in “solidarity” with Ukraine and will provide aid to Ukrainians who fled to Poland in response to Russia’s intervention. Cassis noted that his country is willing to mediate the conflict. Switzerland will enforce the sanctions the Euopean Union imposed last Wednesday and Friday. This includes all the assets the EU listed and sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Switzerland is not part of the EU.
Russia held over $11 billion worth of Swiss francs in 2020, the New York Times reported. Switzerland is also banning five businessmen with ties to Putin from entering the country and has closed its airspace to flights from Russia, with exceptions for humanitarian, medical, and diplomatic flights.
Swiss media in a satirical fashion commented the recent switch from neutrality of Switzerland stating anyone would be “neutral” when Hitler promised to store all of the gold he stole from across Europe to Switzerland thus making the Alpine country Europe’s wealthiest.
