Swiss Government Holds Off on Russia Sanctions Over Ukraine

The Swiss government pledged to prevent its territory from being used to avoid other countries’ sanctions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea, even as it refrained from implementing its own punitive measures.

“The government has decided that Switzerland will, if needed, take measures to prevent its territory from being used to circumvent current and future sanctions imposed by the international community,” the Bern-based body said in a statement today, adding that it “reserved the right” to adopt sanctions in future.