Putin, cash and guns prompt 'explosive' rethink of Swiss neutrality

Source: Politico (EU)

August 30, 2024 4:20 am CET


Switzerland isn’t keen on getting involved in wars but likes making money. The clash between those values — plus worries that Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a risk to the whole of Europe — is prompting the country to rethink its defense stance.

In a bombshell report released on Thursday, a group of experts recommend to the government that the country, which has been neutral since 1515, work on a "common defense capability" with the EU and NATO. "Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, neutrality has once again become the subject of political debate, both at home and abroad. Pressure on Switzerland to clarify its position is growing," reads the report, calling for a "revision" of its neutrality policy.

One of the many drivers is how Switzerland's neutrality has affected arms sales; another is how to better defend a country surrounded by two groupings to which it doesn't belong. The potential policy upheaval is yet another sign of how Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine is changing Europe's security landscape. The unprovoked attack prompted Sweden and Finland to ditch their neutrality and join NATO.

The experts preparing the report — including diplomats, senior officials, a former head of the Swiss army and Wolfgang Ischinger, the former director of the Munich Security Conference — delivered their findings to Swiss Defense and Security Minister Viola Amherd, who is also president of the Confederation for 2024. The recommendations will inform Switzerland's 2025 security strategy.

Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/switzerland-military-neutrality-defense-arms-sales-war-in-ukraine-vladimir-putin/