Switzerland joins seventh package of EU sanctions 

Switzerland joins the seventh package of EU sanctions against Russia, the country’s Federal Council said on Wednesday.

"The new measures primarily concern a ban on buying, importing or transporting gold and gold products from Russia. Services in connection with these goods are also prohibited," the government said.

"The largest Russian bank, Sberbank, has now also had its assets frozen and is banned from providing funds, economic resources or technical services. New derogations are being introduced to ensure the orderly wind-down of transactions and the sale of Sberbank subsidiaries," the Federal Council noted.

At the same time, the Swiss government noted that "none of the measures against Russia are directed against the trade in agricultural or food products between third countries and Russia."

"To avoid disruption to payment channels, the Federal Council has made two new exceptions with respect to transactions related to agricultural products and oil supplies to third countries, as has the EU," the government said.