Switzerland may renounce neutrality to provide military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports
Flag of Switzerland (Photo:JonHoefer / Pixabay)
Swiss elites are discussing changes to Switzerland’s policy of neutrality which would allow the transfer of Swiss-made weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, Reuters reported on Feb. 6.
The leader of the center-right FDP party, Thierry Burkart, has submitted a motion to the government to allow arms re-exports to countries with similar democratic values to Switzerland.
“We want to be neutral, but we are part of the western world,” said Burkart.
He added that Switzerland should not support Russia.
"We shouldn't have the veto to stop others helping Ukraine,” he told journalists.
“If we do that, we support Russia – which is not a neutral position.”
Reuters writes that Swiss social democrats and green liberals adhere to a similar opinion.
The Green Party is against this change, as they say that concessions in favor of Ukraine could become a “slippery slope” to the abolition of all restrictions, which would be incompatible with Switzerland’s neutrality.
The Swiss People's Party (SVP) also remains committed to neutrality, as its representatives consider the relevant law to be the basis of the country's peace and prosperity. Though some of them note that the situation around the ban on weapon exports negatively affects the Swiss arms industry.
On Feb. 5, Sotomo published a poll that showed 55% of respondents in Switzerland are in favor of allowing weapons to be re-exported to Ukraine. Pollsters note that if this question had been asked before the war, the answer would probably have been less than 25%.
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