Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday that Canada will be placing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Trudeau also said Canada will be placing sanctions on Belarus, targeting 57 individuals, for aiding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read more: Explosions rock Kyiv as Ukraine capital prepares for Russian assault Canada will also support Russia’s removal from the SWIFT banking system, Trudeau said, to exclude Russia from making transactions around the world.
SWIFT is a digital payment and messaging network that connects thousands of banks worldwide. Russia’s removal has not been enacted yet as other countries haven’t committed to the action, though both France and Italy told Ukrainian officials Friday they would support the move.
Trudeau said excluding Russian banks from the system would make it even more difficult for Putin to “finance his brutalities,” and that the president cannot expect to “benefit” from financial systems that peace has brought while ending that very peace. Read more: Live: Russia closes in on Ukraine capital Kyiv “All options are on the table,” Trudeau said, referring to measures Canada will take against the invasion. “This is a significant step and it has its impact in the fact that we are all as western countries united and aligned on this.” Trudeau said this is the first time a “global community” has taken steps to sanction Putin personally.