Unofficial: The European Union may attack Russia’s banking sector. “Aggression Must Have A Price”

The European Union may attack Russia’s banking sector in reaction to its aggression against Ukraine, Beata Płomecka, the Brussels correspondent of Polish Radio, learned unofficially. This is one of the options currently under consideration in Brussels. Poland is among the authors of the proposed sanctions.

The European Union will hit Russia’s banking sector? “Takes into account the strictest sanctions”

The talks of the Brussels correspondent of Polish Radio show that experts from the EU diplomatic corps prepare a list of possible decisions depending on the development of the situation. “The threat of what is hanging over Ukraine is being considered very seriously in Brussels,” said Beata Płomecka, one of the EU experts who participated in the discussions on the subject. An official in the Commission, interviewed by the Brussels correspondent of Polish Radio, admitted that the EU “takes the strictest sanctions very seriously”, called the nuclear option, ie excluding Russia from the SWFIT system. “Moscow will launch this nuclear option itself if it attacks Ukraine again,” one of the EU officials told Beata Płomecka.

The fact that severe financial sanctions are under consideration was indirectly confirmed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, after Friday’s meeting with the new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. – The European Union is ready not only to tighten the existing sanctions against Russia, but also to impose new financial and economic restrictions – said the head of the Commission, adding that aggression will come at a price.

After the aggression in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the European Union imposed economic sanctions in addition to diplomatic sanctions. However, it did not decide on the strictest one, known as the nuclear option, i.e. excluding Russia from the international system of financial settlements SWIFT.

Ursula von der Leyen and Olaf Scholz responded evasively to the question whether the sanctions under consideration include the blockade of Nord Stream2. – It is obvious that the European Union will certainly react, but it is also clear that we are now focusing on prevention, so that the borders are not violated – said the German Chancellor.

The President of the Commission replied only that Europe’s energy security must be guaranteed and that energy resources must not be used to exert pressure.

“Aggression has to come at a price,” von der Leyen said. – As a rule, energy cannot be used as a means of pressure, and the energy security of Europe and its neighbors must be guaranteed, she continued.

On the other hand, Scholz assured that “Germany, the EU and many others will react if the border is breached”, but “in the current situation, our task is to prevent it (the violation – ed.)”.

The situation in Ukraine and Russia’s aggressive actions will be discussed on Monday by the foreign ministers of 27 countries at a meeting in Brussels, and later, on Thursday, it will be one of the topics of the EU summit with the participation of European leaders.

Joe Biden spoke with Volodymyr Zelensky

On Thursday, Joe Biden held an hour and a half interview with the President of Ukraine. The US president communicated to Volodymyr Zelensky the content of his recent conversation with Vladimir Putin on the threat of Russian aggression against Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian president’s office, the American leader assured Zelenskiy that, inter alia, Ukraine’s possible accession to NATO will be a decision of Kiev and the member states of the Alliance.

The content of the presidents’ conversation was provided by the head of the office of Volodymyr Zelensky, Andriy Yermak. As he noted, Joe Biden cut off speculation that he would make an appointment with Vladimir Putin to stop the Ukrainian course towards NATO. As he emphasized, President Biden made it very clear that the decision to join NATO belongs exclusively to the Ukrainian people and the members of the Alliance.

In addition, as the head of the Ukrainian president’s office noted, Joe Biden assured him that during a conversation with Putin, he had warned him about the consequences and unprecedented sanctions should the Kremlin decide to escalate, including the invasion of Ukraine. The president of the USA was also to inform that his country is providing and will be giving the necessary help to Ukraine in order to fight off aggression. The presidents also discussed possible forms of settling the conflict in Donbas, as well as internal reforms in Ukraine.