Russia launched an open war of aggression against Ukraine this morning under fabricated pretexts. This must have immediate and comprehensive consequences. One of the most effective means would be to exclude Russia from the international payment system SWIFT. According to consistent media reports, the German government ( along with Italy, Cyprus and Hungary) is blocking Russia’s exclusion out of consideration for its own economic interests. This course must be revised immediately. In order to contain Russia’s war of aggression, every day, every hour counts. We call on the German government to change its course immediately and to work for an immediate exclusion of Russia. Short-sighted consideration of one’s own economic interests must not play a role here. The damage that would be caused if the opportunity to contain Putin were now to be missed would be infinitely greater. Russia’s attack on Ukraine today is the greatest threat to the peace order in Europe since the end of the Second World War and the greatest geopolitical catastrophe since the Second World War. We want to prevent an expansion of the war, but this does not require looking the other way, no appeasement, but massive political and economic pressure.