The longtime neutral government of Switzerland has frozen $8.81 billion in financial assets belonging to Russians.
Neutrality is one of the main principles of Switzerland's foreign policy which dictates that Switzerland is not to be involved in armed or political conflicts between other states. This policy is self-imposed and designed to ensure external security and promote peace.
This action is a result of sanctions designed to punish Moscow for its illegal invasion of the neighboring nation of Ukraine.
Last year, Swiss authorities blocked about $8.03 billion in Russian assets, in connection with the EU sanctions imposed over Russia's war in Ukraine.
Switzerland Kicks Russia's Assets
Switzerland has frozen an estimated 7.7 billion Swiss francs or $8.81 billion in financial assets belonging to Russians, the government said on Friday, under sanctions designed to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
The figure, a provisional estimate, represented a slight increase from the 7.5 billion francs the Swiss government said it had blocked last year after the neutral country adopted European Union sanctions.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-have-frozen-88-bilion-russia…
For centuries, the tiny Alpine nation of Switzerland has adhered to a policy of armed neutrality in global affairs. Switzerland isn’t the world’s only neutral country—the likes of Ireland, Austria, and Costa Rica all take similar non-interventionist stances—yet it remains the oldest and most respected.