Simonyte: no more strong objectors to banning Russia from SWIFT

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Saturday that there were no longer any strong objectors to cutting off Russia from the SWIFT global interbank payments system.

However, Simonyte did not say when the decision might be taken.

"We want the decision to be made as quickly as possible, but I can't give a specific date," she told a news conference. "From what I am cautiously hearing, it seems that there are no longer any strong objectors."

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told BNS on Friday that decisions on Russia's disconnection from SWIFT could be made next week.

Excluding Russia from the system would make most financial transactions with the country impossible.