Switzerland’s ambassador to Moscow, Christina Marty Lang, was summoned today by the Russian authorities, who protested the passage of measures in Switzerland to allow the use of frozen Russian assets in the country to finance repairs in Ukraine.
“Russia condemns in the strongest terms this measure taken by the Swiss authorities, which blatantly violates the fundamental principles and norms of international law regarding state immunity,” the Russian Foreign Ministry denounced in a statement.
Russian diplomacy accused Switzerland of preparing “a state theft” of “Russian state property” under the guise of a “fabricated” restitution mechanism.
Moscow promised “inevitable retaliation” if such a measure is implemented.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed to Agence France-Presse that its ambassador in Moscow had been summoned, without commenting further.
Lefteris Lazarou: The Michelin star I got is of particular importance because I only cook fish
The measures passed last Thursday by Swiss parliamentarians could allow their government to establish a legal basis that makes it possible to use frozen assets of states deemed to have been attacked to pay for repairs in the attacked countries.
The issue of Russian assets has been the subject of intense debate in Europe since the start of hostilities in Ukraine more than two years ago, and particularly in Switzerland, where secrecy in the banking sector and the country’s traditional neutrality play an important role.
More than eight billion dollars (7.3 billion euros) of Russia’s central bank’s funds have been deposited in Swiss banks.
