The Parliament of Switzerland did not support an amendment to the legislation that would allow the re-export of weapons to Ukraine. The country adheres to neutrality.
AFP writes about it.
98 members of parliament voted against these changes, while 75 were in favor.
The representative of the Swiss Peopleʼs Party Jean-Luc Addor stated that "the adoption of this initiative means commitment to one of the parties, which is also contained in its very name (Lex Ukraine)." So this means a violation of neutrality.
The vote in the parliament took place against the background of the meeting of the President Volodymyr Zelensky with the President of Switzerland Alain Berse on the sidelines of the summit of the European Political Community. They discussed frozen Russian assets, Switzerlandʼs involvement in demining and the countryʼs stance on re-exports.
- Switzerlandʼs neutrality is one of the main principles of the countryʼs foreign policy, which states that it has no right to participate in armed or political conflicts between other states. On March 8, 2023, Switzerland finally did not support the re-export of ammunition to Ukraine, and then postponed for a year the consideration of changes to the rules on the re-export of weapons.
- Then it became known that Switzerland will destroy 60 serviceable Rapier air defense systems, which could well be transferred to Ukraine.
- In February 2023, Eagle I armored vehicles manufactured by the Swiss company Mowag were spotted in the Ukrainian front-line cities of Chasiv Yar and Avdiivka, but it is unknown how they ended up here.
- In April, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States sent a letter to the Swiss authorities urging them to take additional measures to strengthen international sanctions against Russia.