Russian State Duma speaker lauds Swiss flexibility
Vyacheslav Volodin with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
Keystone
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian parliament’s lower house, has praised the “more flexible” attitude of Switzerland compared to the European Union during an official visit begun on Sunday.
Volodin, made the comments in an interview with Swiss public television, RTS, ahead of a meeting in Bern on Monday with his counterpart from Switzerland’s House of Representatives Dominique de Buman, as well as Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
“Switzerland has a more flexible attitude when it comes to applying sanctions, and that’s what makes the difference,” he said, adding that “the time for such sanctions will soon be over.” “Sanctions are a dead-end strategy, one that we do not support, and I don’t think Switzerland supports either.”
Volodin is currently under both American and EU sanctions for his role in the 2014 Crimea crisis, and is barred from entering EU territory.
Switzerland, not a member of the 28-nation bloc, has not imposed such sanctions. Swiss officials explained the controversial visit – extended after a Swiss parliamentary delegation travelled to Moscow in 2017 – as an attempt to encourage “dialogue” on the Ukrainian conflict.
Asked about relations with the United States under President Trump, the Duma speaker since 2016 said that the policies of the Obama Administration – although things were sometimes “simpler” before – have been largely continued.
He criticised the recent accusations of meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections that led to the charging of 13 Russians by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation last Friday.
This is the result of “a deep crisis in American politics”, said Volodin, where there is a “hysterical attitude whipped up against Russia.”
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
How centuries of Swiss emigrants left their mark on the US
Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?
Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence and if so, how do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police?
This content was published on
Former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has filed a criminal complaint against the Geneva prosecutor for slander.
Swiss energy minister suggests way forward for new nuclear power plants
This content was published on
Swiss Energy Minister Albert Rösti says existing nuclear power plant sites in Switzerland could be used for new nuclear power plants.
This content was published on
Swiss wheelchair racer Catherine Debrunner won the 5,000 metres to bring home Switzerland’s first gold medal at the Paralympics in Paris.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Human rights on agenda of Russian leader’s visit
This content was published on
Talks during the two days will focus on bilateral relations, the post financial-crisis situation, G20 reform, Georgia and human rights. It will be the first time that a Russian head of state has visited Switzerland in the almost 200 years since the Swiss opened their first consulate in St Petersburg. An official ceremony at Zurich…
Swiss citizen confirmed as victim of Moscow plane crash
This content was published on
A Swiss man is among the 71 people who died in a Moscow plane crash on Sunday, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has confirmed.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.