Howie Kurtz and Fox Business host Liz Claman took a look at the newly-announced SWIFT sanctions, which bar certain Russian banks from accessing the system allowing countries to send money to one another.
Liz explained the the first wave of sanctions were watered down because "nobody" wanted to feel any discomfort." Claman is referring to Europe, who will bear the brunt of the effects of sanctioning Russia.
"A diplomatic dodge," she explained.
"SWIFT could actually, definitely have an effect," she told Kurtz. "You already see specific sites of Russians lining up at ATM's. They are panicked. They are trying to convert their rubles which are incredibly weakened now." (The ruble was down 41% against the dollar as of this writing)
"We'll know more tonight when the currency markets open," she said. "They are worried they won't be able to transact the SWIFT which is of course the Society of Western Inner bank of Financial Transactions."
Claman also praised Germany for doing the right thing, after holding back the US from these serious sanctions.
The Fox Business host also thanked Italy, who said "we need to suffer pain."
"It's pretty shameful, people across the world don't want to pay a few more euros or cents per gallon on oil," she chided.
I wrote this up because their viewers won't hear many positive views expressed by Fox News guests or hosts on the Ukraine situation because their corporate mandate is to attack President Biden at all costs. Here, however, they actually told the truth for a change.
