SWIFT คือเครือข่ายการชำระเงินระหว่างประเทศหลักของโลก
สหรัฐฯ สหราชอาณาจักร ยุโรป และแคนาดา ได้ประกาศจะปิดกั้นธนาคารบางแห่งของรัสเซียไม่ให้เข้าถึง SWIFT ซึ่งเป็นระบบการชำระเงินระหว่างประเทศ โดยเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของการคว่ำบาตรมอสโกอีกรอบ
SWIFT เป็นสมาคมของเบลเยี่ยมที่ให้บริการที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการทำธุรกรรมทางการเงินและการชำระเงินระหว่างธนาคารทั่วโลก หน้าที่หลักคือทำหน้าที่เป็นเครือข่ายการส่งข้อความหลักสำหรับการชำระเงินระหว่างประเทศ
Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, “will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally,” said the statement.
The White House announced Saturday that the United States, joined by European nations and Canada, will remove some Russian banks from SWIFT, the payment system used for most international financial transactions.
This is a major move to escalate the West’s economic sanctions against Moscow for its ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
The White House said in a joint statement that in concert with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Canada, the United States is supporting the expulsion of “selected Russian banks” from SWIFT “within the coming days,” so as to “further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies.”
Kicking those Russian banks out of SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions worldwide, “will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally,” said the statement.
Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2022 shows the sign of Sovcombank in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)
In addition, restrictive measures will be imposed to “prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves” in ways that undermine the impact of the Western sanctions, said the statement.
Measures will also be taken to limit the sale of the so-called “golden passports” to prevent “wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government” from becoming citizens of the aforementioned countries and to ensure that those individuals are unable to “gain access to our financial systems.”
The leaders of those countries also vowed to launch in this coming week a joint task force to enforce the implementation of the financial sanctions.
The joint statement also called on other governments to “detect and disrupt” the flow of those Russian elites’ gains and deny their ability to hide their assets in jurisdictions across the world.
“The secretary-general conveyed to the president the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine,” according to a readout.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promised on Saturday to provide more humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The secretary-general conveyed to the president the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine,” according to a readout about the secretary-general’s call with Zelensky.
The UN chief informed Zelensky that the world body “would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund UN’s humanitarian operations in Ukraine.”
In an email, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, told reporters that because of the escalating situation in Ukraine, Guterres will not travel to Geneva as planned. Instead, “he will send a video message to Monday’s meeting of the Human Rights Council,” he added.
On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone talk with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO’s eastward expansion, Russia’s legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a telephone conversation with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, during which they exchanged views on the current situation in Ukraine.
Wang said that China pays close attention to the development of the situation in Ukraine, and supports all efforts that are conducive to de-escalating the situation and achieving a political settlement.
On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, he noted, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO’s eastward expansion, Russia’s legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way.
Noting the Cold War has already ended, the senior Chinese official said it is necessary for NATO to reconsider its position and responsibilities, adding that the Chinese side believes the Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be completely abandoned. China supports NATO, the European Union and Russia to resume dialogue and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism so as to achieve lasting peace and stability on the European continent, he said.
People from Ukraine rest at a temporary resettlement site in Przemysl, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
Wang also noted that China does not approve of solving problems by sanctions, and even more strongly opposes unilateral sanctions not based on international law. Practice has already proved that rather than solving problems, sanctions can create new ones, he said, adding that sanctions will not only lead to a “lose-lose” situation or “multiple losses” in economy, but also disturb the process of a political settlement.
As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has always faithfully fulfilled its obligation of safeguarding world peace and stability, Wang noted, adding China believes that if the Security Council is to take action, it should facilitate a political settlement of the current crisis rather than instigate new rivalries and confrontations.
In view of this, Wang said, China has prevented the Security Council from citing expressions that involve the authorization of the use of force and sanctions, when discussing draft resolutions on the Ukrainian issue.
China will continue to play a constructive role in seeking and realizing peace, Wang said.
The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Sunday.
Atotal of 471 Ukrainian servicemen have been detained and will be sent to their families after paperwork, he added.
Asean foreign ministers in a joint statement on Saturday urged Russia and Ukraine to exercise restraint, make an effort to pursue dialogue and de-escalate tensions by seeking a peaceful resolution.
The ministers said this suggestion was in line with international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, adding that they were deeply concerned about the evolving situation and armed hostilities in Ukraine.
“We believe there is still room for peaceful dialogue to prevent the situation from getting out of control,” the statement said. “For peace, security and harmonious co-existence to prevail, it is the responsibility of all parties to uphold the principles of mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equal rights of all nations.”
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, its neighbour to the southwest, on February 24, marking a dramatic escalation of conflicts that began in 2014. This is the largest conventional military attack on European soil since World War II.
The invasion was preceded by a Russian military build-up that started in early 2021, during which President Vladimir Putin criticised the post-1997 enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as a threat to his country’s security and demanded that Ukraine be legally prohibited from joining the military alliance.
Despite the military build-up since November last year, Russia repeatedly denied it was planning to invade Ukraine until February 20.
Some of the NATO allies including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany on Saturday announced a series of decisions to provide weaponry and financial supports to Ukraine amid the ongoing “special military operation” launched by Russia.
On Saturday evening, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on phone, in which Johnson updated Zelensky on the progress of the British government’s assistance to Ukraine.
Both sides agreed to welcome the increased willingness to take action to exclude Russia from the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) payment system.
The two also expressed their concerns over Belarus’s role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
According to the British Ministry of Defence on Saturday, a new batch of British military forces, including naval ships, army units and air force fighter jets, have arrived in East Europe to reinforce NATO’s eastern front.
Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace said the deployments, along with NATO allies, would constitute a “deterrent” against the Russian military action.
On Friday evening, Wallace held an online donor meeting with officials from more than 25 other countries, including the United States, Canada and some countries outside NATO, to coordinate military aid to Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Saturday that the United States is offering 350 million U.S. dollars’ worth of “lethal defensive” weapons to Ukraine to help defend itself against the ongoing Russian military operations.
Blinken said in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized him to decide on such a move. As such, he has authorized the Department of Defense to carry out the presidential drawdown, which will help Ukraine cope with “the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing.”
The secretary of state said the latest sum was on top of the 60-million-dollar and 200-million-dollar immediate military aid to Ukraine that Biden delegated to him last year, bringing total U.S. security support to Ukraine over the past year to more than 1 billion U.S. dollars.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on social media on Saturday that Germany would provide Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” class surface-to-air missiles. He said Germany “has a responsibility to support Ukraine as much as it can against Russian forces”.
German government Spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said the weapons would be delivered as soon as possible to support the Ukrainian army.
The move marks a significant change of course for Germany, which had previously maintained a policy of not sending arms to conflict zones and refused to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine.
Germany had previously provided Ukraine with only about 5,000 military helmets and a field hospital, a move that was derided by German allies.
The German Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that Germany has approved the delivery of 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers from The Netherlands to Ukraine, and the approval has been confirmed by the Chancellery. The rocket-propelled grenades came from the stockpiles of the German military.
Russia resumed its military operation after Ukrainian authorities had refused negotiations with Moscow. The Russian Ministry of Defence said on February 26.
In a video released by the ministry, spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the resumption of military action came after Ukrainian authorities had refused negotiations with Moscow.
The Russian defence ministry said troops of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics with fire support of the Russian military advanced to a depth of up to 46 kilometres, having captured the settlements of Shchastia, Muratovo, Starognatovka, Oktyabrskaya, and Pavlopol.
Konashenkov accused authorities in Kyiv of deploying rocket and artillery units in residential areas in cities across the country and appealed to the Ukrainian citizens to demand the immediate removal of all heavy weaponry from their homes.
“In the evening of February 25, in the course of the evacuation of the 82 Ukrainian servicemen from Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, who had voluntarily laid down their arms, 16 boats of the Ukrainian Navy, using “swarm tactics”, tried to attack the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. I’d like to emphasize that some of the attacking Ukrainian boats operated under the cover of civilian vessels. The purpose of this attack was primarily to retaliate against the Ukrainian servicemen who had laid down arms and to accuse the Russian army of killing prisoners of war.
As a result of the naval battle, six boats of the Ukrainian Navy were destroyed. None of the 82 Ukrainian servicemen from Snake Island was injured. I want to pay special attention that during the attack of the Ukrainian boats, U.S. strategic unmanned aerial vehicles were flying above the frame-up area.” Konashenkov said.
The United States, Britain, Europe, and Canada on Saturday (February 26) moved to block certain Russian banks’ access to the SWIFT international payment system as part of more sanctions against Moscow as it continues its assault against Ukraine.
The measures, which will also include restrictions on the Russian central bank’s international reserves, will be implemented in the coming days, the nations said in a joint statement that also vowed further action to come.
“As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing massive costs on Russia. Costs that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the European Union’s executive.
Cutting Russian banks out of the SWIFT system will stop them from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and effectively block Russian exports and imports, she said.
The Kremlin said Saturday that Kyiv has refused to hold talks with Moscow, causing Russian forces to resume operations in Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian side has refused to negotiate. This afternoon Russian forces have resumed their advance in accordance with the plan of the operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered a halt to military operations in light of the expected negotiations that were previously planned with Ukraine, local media reported citing Peskov.
Putin on Thursday authorized “a special military operation” in Donbass, and Ukraine confirmed that military targets across the country were under attack.
Also on Saturday, Oleksiy Arestovich, advisor to the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said Kiev refused to negotiate with Russia because the conditions Russia proposed are “unacceptable” for the country, calling those conditions as “an attempt to force us to surrender.”
The Russian Armed Forces have struck Ukrainian military objects with air- and sea-based cruise missiles, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Saturday.
“In total, the Russian Armed Forces hit 821 military infrastructure objects of Ukraine. Among them: 14 military airfields, 19 control points, and communication centers, 24 S-300 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 48 radar stations,” Konashenkov said, according to a statement published by the ministry.
“I would like to emphasize once again that only military facilities are subject to attack, no damage is caused to residential and social infrastructure,” he added.
Konashenkov also said that the Russian Armed Forces have established full control over the southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, which the Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in the day that the Russian military had entered without meeting resistance.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday in a video message that Ukraine has successfully beat off “enemy attacks,” but battles are ongoing across the country.
He refuted reports that the country’s army will disarm and evacuate, noting that he did not leave Kyiv, which was under heavy shelling overnight.
He said on Twitter that “partners” are sending weapons to help Kyiv, adding that he had spoken by phone with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Zelensky also called on the European Union to grant Ukraine membership into the bloc.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Facebook that Ukraine shot down a Russian transport plane IL-76 near Vasylkiv town in Kyiv.
According to a report by the government-run Ukrinform news agency, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Saturday that a missile hit an apartment building on the southwestern outskirts of the city, but no casualties were immediately reported.
Klitschko said at least 35 Kyiv residents, including two children, were injured in clashes with Russian forces or shelling.
Photo taken on Feb. 25, 2022 shows the sign of Sovcombank in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)
People from Ukraine rest at a temporary resettlement site in Przemysl, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
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