Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on the EU to disconnect Russia from SWIFT

Western countries should disconnect RUSSIA from the SWIFT payment system in order to prevent the use of military force against Ukraine. This was stated by the HEAD of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Kuleba in an interview with REUTERS.

“I have no information to say that the decision to start a military operation against Ukraine was made. So the situation can develop in both directions. Therefore, the reaction of the West, the consolidated reaction of the West, is so necessary now to keep Putin <...> from making this decision,” Kuleba said.

According to the minister, he called for limiting Russia's access to SWIFT on Monday, April 19, during a meeting of the heads of the EU foreign affairs agencies. The Ukrainian representative proposed to include this measure in a new package of economic sanctions against Moscow.

In March, armed conflict resumed in eastern Ukraine. Its sides accused each other of aggravating the situation. At the end of March, The New York Times reported on the transfer of 4,000 Russian troops to the Russian-Ukrainian border. The Russian Defense Ministry explained that exercises were taking place in the Southern Military District.