UPDATE 7: EU can axe more bks from SWIFT, Zurich joins sanctions

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MOSCOW/BRUSSELS/ZURICH/ANKARA/WASHINGTON/BELGRADE, Mar 4 (PRIME) -- The E.U. may extend the list of Russian banks disconnected from the SWIFT interbank messenger, while Switzerland joined earlier sanctions, spokesman for the European Commission Tim McPhie and the government of Switzerland said on Friday.

McPhie also said that the Belarusian banks could be blacklisted as well, although this is not on the agenda.

Switzerland prohibited any transactions connected with the Russian central bank and joined the earlier E.U. sanctions. The country also banned exports of any goods that might support development of the Russian military industry.

The U.S. extended export control measures on the Russian oil companies and blacklisted 91 defense firms, the Commerce Department said.

Deputy Energy Secretary Jill Hruby said that the U.S. was not ready to say how NATO would react to the events at the Zaporozhskaya nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

Montenegro closed the air space for Russian jets, according to Radio and Television of Montenegro, while Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the Anadolu news agency that the country would not close its air space for Russia, because open sky is important for strategic and humanitarian purposes.

Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky demanded immediate new sanctions on Russia and closure of the air space above Ukraine. "We need an immediate step up of sanctions against the nuclear terrorist country. We need an immediate closure of the air space above Ukraine," Zelensky said.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, urged the E.U., the U.S. and the U.K. to slap sanctions on all Russian and Belarusian state-run companies, forbid the Russian and Belarusian jets to fly over and land in Ukraine and to prohibit the Russian and Belarusian ships to enter the ports in the country.

The authority urged to forbid international trade with Russia and Belarus, including energy imports, and military technologies exports and imports. The Verkhovna Rada called for prohibition for the Russian and Belarusian citizens and firms to open and service accounts with the banks in the U.S., the E.U. and the U.K. and for prohibition to use Google, Google Playmarket, Apple Store and Amazon Web Services.

Ukraine asked the West to prohibit Russia and Belarus to borrow from the International Monetary Fund and to transfer their special borrowing rights to Ukraine. Reuters reported that the E.U. is considering restricting Russia's access to the money of the fund.

Speaker of Russia's Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko said that the senators would prepare additional measures to support the economy. "We are approving the first package (of bills), more will come," she said. 

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