Should the West follow through on its threats to shut Russia off from the SWIFT financial transaction system, Ukraine would soon also feel the sting and be left in a difficult position, Kiev’s former economy minister has cautioned.
Speaking as part of an appearance on Ukraine’s Channel 4 on Thursday, Viktor Suslov, who served in the government from 1997-1998, set out how disconnecting Moscow from the global payment service would impact its neighbor.
“If we transport gas and Russia cannot pay for it, will Ukraine transit for free? Of course not,” he explained. According to the politician, support from the International Monetary Fund would not save Kiev, because cash alone cannot replace gas or nuclear fuel.