Ukraine FM slams ‘traitors to humanity’ for leaving Russia SWIFT loopholes: ‘Money soaked in our blood’

FAN Editor

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Sunday condemned the move by western countries to allow Russian energy transactions to continue on the international SWIFT banking system, even as they issued harsh sanctions on other transactions. 

“I will not be diplomatic. Some countries are trying to leave loopholes, exclude a number of banks so they can apply some measures with their left hands and continue to trade with Russia with their right hands,” Kuleba said. 

“Stop doing this now. Stop trading with the blood of Ukrainian men women and children. This is not a metaphor but the reality of what you are doing,” Kuleba continued. “History will judge you and your names will forever remain in history books as names of traitors to humanity. There are examples of such names in the 20th century. I am confident you do not want to add your names.”

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The comments followed a Saturday move by the United States and European allies to exclude much of Russia’s banking system, including its central bank, from the SWIFT banking system. According to a senior U.S. administration official, this effectively made Russia “a global economic and financial pariah.”

Sanctions also hit Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian oligarchs personally. 

But the sanctions specifically carved out energy purchases like oil and natural gas – products from Russia that some European countries are heavily reliant on. 

A senior administration official said Saturday that American and European officials are going “institution by institution” trying to figure out which transactions are for energy and to exempt those specific transactions. If it’s not possible to mark specific transactions, the official said, international regulators can simply exempt banking institutions that heavily process energy transactions and bar banks that don’t process a high volume of those purchases from SWIFT.

SWIFT

SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) logo displayed on a phone screen and coins are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on January 23, 2022. Western countries announced they will cut much of Russia’s (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The goal, the official said, is “very carefully to maximize the impact on Russia and minimize the spillovers to Europe… and the global economy.” The official said the institution-by-institution approach is similar to how the U.S. handled sanctions on Iran and said the final list will be finalized by European Union regulators. A White House official said if sanctions increased the price of energy, it may help Putin. 

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also said Sunday on ABC that sanctions on energy are on the table. But Kuleba said Sunday that is not enough. 

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“It is critically important that Russia is disconnected from SWIFT on the fullest possible extent. All possible banks. Don’t play political games and stop earning money soaked in our blood,” he said. 

Kuleba also demanded that the international community embargo all oil and gas purchases. 

“These oil and gas now also contain Ukrainian blood. Anyone buying it has to be ashamed of doing so,” he said. 

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Kuleba also thanked allies for providing weapons, asked for further lethal assistance and asked international individuals interested in fighting in Ukraine to visit their country’s Ukrainain embassy for information on how to do so. He further touted the strength of the Ukrainian resistance against Russian invaders. 

Kuleba claimed that Ukraine had destroyed dozens of Russian war aircraft and helicopters, over 100 tanks and hundreds of armored vehicles. Fox News cannot independently verify these claims. 

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The foreign minister further spun the agreement by Russia to meet for diplomatic talks with Ukraine as “already a victory for Ukraine” after Russia previously refused to meet, then would only meet with preconditions. It is not clear, however, that anything substantive may come from those talks and experts expect Russia will not negotiate in good faith. 

While U.S. and other western countries say Russia is advancing on Ukraine much slower than Putin and his forces expected, it is still likely Russia will eventually be able to take over Ukraine thanks to its superior military, experts say. 

FOX Business’ Edward Lawrence contributed to this report. 

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