Skip to content
Edit post

Reuters: Switzerland could lift ban of exports of Swiss weapons to war zones

by The Kyiv Independent news desk February 7, 2023 6:26 AM 1 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Become a member Support us just once

Switzerland could end a ban on exports of Swiss weapons to war zones as a shift in public and political opinion puts pressure on the government to end a centuries-long tradition of being a neutral state, Reuters reported.

The Swiss government prohibits countries that purchase Swiss arms from re-exporting them without permission. Swiss neutrality also dictates that Switzerland will not send weapons directly or indirectly to any side of a war.

The country also has an embargo on arms sales to Ukraine and Russia.

According to the Reuters report, the Swiss parliament's two security committees recommended the government's rules be eased in order to allow other countries to send Swiss-made military aid to Ukraine.

"We shouldn't have the veto to stop others from helping Ukraine. If we do that, we support Russia, which is not a neutral position," Thierry Burkart, leader of the center-right FDP party, told Reuters.

"Other countries want to support Ukraine and do something for the security and stability of Europe... They cannot understand why Switzerland has to say no."

Swiss public opinion has also shifted since Russia's full-scale war began in February 2022. Reuters cited a survey by the Sotomo Institute published on Feb. 5 that showed 55% of respondents favor allowing weapons re-exports to Ukraine.

Bloomberg also reported on Feb. 2 that "mainstream politicians" in Switzerland have called for selling the country's nearly 100 German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic as replacements for the tanks that their governments plan to send to Ukraine.

Ukraine war latest: Intelligence claims Russia likely to mobilize up to 500,000 troops to run offensive in spring-summer
Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.
Freedom can be costly. Both Ukraine and its journalists are paying a high price for their independence. Support independent journalism in its darkest hour. Support us for as little as $1, and it only takes a minute.
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

11:16 AM

Kuleba begins first trip to India.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he was in the Indian capital New Delhi at the invitation of Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and that the two would "pay specific attention to the peace formula" in their talks.
Ukraine Daily
News from Ukraine in your inbox
Ukraine news
Please, enter correct email address
5:30 AM

Ukrainian POWs faced conditional release from Hungary.

Two Ukrainian prisoners of war, part of a group of 11 handed over to Hungary by Russia in June 2023, said in an interview to Deutsche Welle, that Hungarian representatives imposed conditions preventing their return to Ukraine until the war's end.
3:16 AM

Estonian police arrest citizen who reported for Russian state media.

Estonian police have arrested Svetlana Burceva, an Estonian citizen, for allegedly violating international sanctions having served as a reporter for Russian state sponsored Balt News - an arm of the Kremlin-run Russia Today (RT) news outlet, Estonian publication Eesti Ekspress reported on March 27.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.