Berlin is hardening its stance against Moscow. In “targeted and functional” restriction of international payment mechanism SWIFT Germany has agreed on Russia, Economy Minister Robert Hubbek and Foreign Minister Analena Berbock said on Saturday.
“We are working hard to reduce the ‘collateral damage’ from the SWIFT blockade in such a way that it affects the right people. What we need is a targeted and operational SWIFT restriction,” said Secretary of State Annalena Baerbock and Minister of Economy Robert Habeck. in a joint statement, Reuters reports.
Until now, Berlin has refused to consent to Russia’s exclusion from the SWIFT system, provoking international outcry and strong domestic criticism.
Chancellor Olaf Solz was the last leader of a member state of the European Union that has not yet agreed to exclude Russia from the SWIFT system. For his attitude, he even faces harsh criticism from his own party.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi had now agreed, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had also spoken out in favor of Russia’s blockade of SWIFT in a telephone conversation with Kumro. .
Olaf Solz is facing the reaction of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in this stance.
At the same time, Sky News reported that a total of 27 countries agreed to strengthen their armed forces in Ukraine after a teleconference of donor countries organized late on Friday by the Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom Ben Wallace. The arms embargo also lifted Berlin.
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