Switzerland abandons neutrality to impose sanctions on Russia and Putin

The Swiss government will adopt EU sanctions imposed in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine and will immediately freeze any assets owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. statment Monday.

“We are in an unusual situation,” the chief Ignacio Cassis told reporters on MondayAccording to Reuters.

The government said the country will close its airspace to flights from Russia, and impose entry bans on a number of individuals with links to Switzerland and close to the Russian president.

She added that “the unprecedented Russian military attack on a sovereign European country was the decisive factor in the decision of the Federal Council to change its previous position on sanctions.”

In a retaliatory move, the Russian Air Transport Agency announced, on Tuesday, the closure of its airspace to Switzerland.

Switzerland faced increasing pressure to join other Western powers and impose sanctions on Russia.

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano He said The bloc expected last week that Switzerland would follow suit in defending the principles on which our societies and countries are based.

Switzerland has long sought to maintain neutrality, and the Alpine country has hosted many peace talks and negotiations between geopolitical foes. It also has a banking industry that caters to many of the world’s wealthy.