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?? Hole in Neutrality - Switzerland Plans to Allow Arms to be Sent to Ukraine

With the start of the war in Ukraine, the debate over the neutral status, which the country has formally adhered to for several centuries, has once again intensified in Switzerland. Now, under pressure from the West, the Confederation is reviewing its arms policy and seems ready to abandon its century-old principles.

The Commission of the Council of Cantons of the Swiss Federal Assembly came out for changing the export control over the arms produced - the parliamentarians suggest allowing third countries to re-export Swiss arms. This is the second proposal of this kind - earlier in January, members of the National Council's Security Commission expressed a similar idea. The final consideration of the legislative initiative is planned at a meeting of both houses of parliament as early as June this year. Interestingly, the decision is motivated by a desire to support the Swiss arms industry, and it is separately specified that the weapons will be sent only to the "forces of light" with the "right values.
As stated by Werner Salzmann, president of the Commission for Security Policy, "...Re-exporting military material to a country at war would be permissible if that country exercised its right of self-defense under international law". It is easy to understand that we are talking about support for Ukraine - direct deliveries of arms and ammunition from the Swiss authorities in February were demanded by, for example, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck.

The Swiss military industry employs about 140,000 people out of a population of 8.7 million and its annual profit amounts to $2.7 billion - 2.5% of the turnover of all companies involved in metal processing and machine building. Re-exports could also fill the pockets of arms manufacturers, as more and more countries have turned to other suppliers in recent years, and critical industries have been short of income.