The European Union and the United States are no longer considering the question of Russia’s separation from the international banking system “SWIFT”, according to media reports.
The Handelsblatt newspaper quoted German government sources as saying that European and American officials have been consulting over recent weeks on how to respond to “possible Russian aggression” against Ukraine, and that the scenario of Moscow’s separation from the “Swift” system was found by the parties to the talks “sensitive”. Very because it may lead to the destabilization of financial markets in the near term and the establishment of an alternative system of banking interactions in which the West will not have the upper hand.
The newspaper reported that the parties to the talks abandoned the idea of suspending Russia’s membership in the “Swift” system in favor of the possibility of imposing economic sanctions on major Russian banks in the event of Russia’s “invasion of Ukraine.”
Washington has announced more than once its intention to impose “unprecedented” sanctions against Moscow in the event of its “invasion of Ukraine”, against the background of reports that Russia has amassed huge forces on its borders with this country.
The Kremlin stresses that Russia is moving its forces within its territory and this should not worry anyone, and Moscow has repeatedly indicated that allegations of Russia’s “aggressive plans” are used as a pretext to strengthen NATO’s military presence near the Russian border.