Switzerland Adopts Russia Sanctions, Breaks From Neutrality
Switzerland will adopt all the sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, the country announced Feb. 28. The move, a shift in Switzerland’s longstanding position of neutrality, will impose “immediate” financial sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other people and companies listed by the EU last week. Switzerland said it’s “responding to the serious violations of international law for which these individuals are responsible.”
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The country also announced an import, export and investment ban on the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which it said are “no longer under the control of the Ukrainian government.” The trade and investment ban had previously applied only to the Crimea region of Ukraine and was put in place after Russia’s annexation of that area in 2014. Switzerland also closed all flights from Russia and “all movements of aircraft with Russian markings” in its airspace, except flights for humanitarian or diplomatic reasons.