The US is changing tactics: now the blow will be against specific Russian companies - German media
Berlin – Kiev, February 23 (PolitNavigator, Vasily Ablyazimov) – The US is changing tactics and will now target not all of Russia with financial methods, but specifically the largest companies, with the goal of causing a wave of bankruptcies, German Economic News reports today.
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“The US government insists on tightening sanctions against Russia. The EU should follow suit. Currently, Washington wants sanctions with a “devastating” effect that Russia must “suffer.” Financial measures are being planned that could cause a wave of company bankruptcies in Russia,” the publication reports.
Secretary of State John Kerry said: “There is serious discussion between us and our European allies about what sanctions should be imposed next and when they should take effect. I am confident that additional measures will be introduced in response to various ceasefire violations.”
At the EU level, politicians will likely be unable to resist American pressure for long. EUobserver reports, citing several unnamed EU officials, that further sanctions are inevitable. EUobserver also cites a senior US official explaining the Americans' strategy.
The strategy is this: the Americans hope that the next step will have “catastrophic” consequences for the Russian economy. They want to cause a wave of bankruptcies among Russian companies. Those companies that use foreign dollar loans are especially at risk.
To achieve this goal, the US government wants to resort to a technical trick and shorten the duration of current bonds and loans issued by American and European banks to Russian banks, energy and weapons companies.
One of the steps to eliminate Russian companies from financial flows may be to disconnect Russia from the SWIFT system. Although the shutdown is not supported not only in Europe, but also among the elite of the United States itself.