Switzerland will renounce “Swiss neutrality” and impose the same sanctions as the EU on Russia
Switzerland has announced that it will renounce its commitment to “Swiss neutrality” in favor of sanctions against Russia, Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said on Monday, adding that Switzerland’s sanctions would be the same as those already adopted by the European Union .
“The Swiss Federal Council decided today to fully adopt the EU sanctions,” Cassis said during a press conference. “This is an unprecedented action by Switzerland, which has always remained neutral.”
“Russia’s attack is an attack on freedom, an attack on democracy, an attack on civilians and an attack on the institutions of a free country. This cannot be accepted under international law, this cannot be accepted politically and this cannot be accepted morally,” Cassis added.
After an extraordinary session of the Swiss Federal Council, Cassis stressed that Switzerland stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people “in these dark days” and hopes that the sanctions will encourage the Kremlin to “change its mind”.
“Playing into the hands of an attacker is not neutral. By signing the Geneva Convention on Human Rights, we are bound by the humanitarian order,” Cassis said. “Other democracies should be able to rely on Switzerland; those who stand for international law can rely on Switzerland; that Switzerland can rely on the protection of human rights.»
According to the Swiss President, Switzerland will freeze the assets of “listed persons” and also impose an entry ban on persons affected by the EU sanctions package.
Cassis said Switzerland is closing its airspace to all flights from Russia, including private jets, except for humanitarian flights, search flights and emergency situations.
Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said the travel ban would “hit oligarchs of Russian or Ukrainian nationality who are particularly close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
“These are five people with strong economic ties to Switzerland,” emphasized Keller-Sutter, but did not name these oligarchs for data protection reasons.