The Council of Cantons of Switzerland, which is the upper house of the country's parliament, rejected the initiative of the National Council, the lower house of the parliament, to transfer helmets and body armor to Ukraine.
Points of attention
- Switzerland's Parliament blocked the initiative to transfer helmets and body armor to Ukraine, citing the country's neutrality policy and concerns about the purpose of the aid.
- The decision not to provide military aid to Ukraine raised controversy and debate within the Swiss political landscape, with some viewing it as indirect support for Russia's strategy in the Ukrainian conflict.
- Switzerland's contrasting provision of mine detectors but refusal to supply helmets and body armor to Ukraine led to questions about the country's aid policies and consistency.
- Opposition in Switzerland argued that the military aid request was for civilian use, highlighting the division in political perspectives and the complexity of the decision.
- Switzerland's support for China and Brazil's 'peace initiative' for Ukraine, despite lacking references to the UN Charter, raised concerns among allies and indicated a separate stance in the conflict resolution process.
What is known about the reasons for the blocking of military aid to Ukraine by Switzerland
It is noted that parliamentarians from the Council of Cantons of Switzerland referred to the neutrality of the country, which prohibits the supply of weapons to other countries.
At the same time, a request from Ukraine to receive helmets and body armor was sent to Switzerland 2 years ago.
At the same time, Switzerland provides Ukraine with other similar assistance, such as mine detectors, without any problems.
People in Ukraine can use helmets and vests for both civilian and military purposes, the Council of Cantons of Switzerland explains its decision.
The Swiss opposition, in particular the parties of liberals and social democrats, in the Council of Cantons tried to convince their colleagues that the request for helmets and bulletproof vests is exclusively for civilian Ukrainians — for utility workers, doctors, rescue workers, etc.
The legislators also emphasized the absurdity of the position, because Switzerland supplies Ukraine with demining equipment to protect people after an attack, but not bulletproof vests for preventive protection.
The oppositionists are convinced that with this decision, whether Switzerland likes it or not, it is "playing in favor of Russia."
What is known about Switzerland's position regarding the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine
Switzerland supports the "peace initiative" of China and Brazil to resolve the war in Ukraine. This is despite the fact that it does not refer to the UN Charter and does not directly mention the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The representative of the foreign policy department of Switzerland, Nicole Bilot, announced the support.
A representative of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) told Keystone-SDA that the country supports the initiative as it calls for a ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict.
When the initiative was published, Switzerland emphasized the importance of the reference to the UN Charter, which was missing.
According to Le Temps, the US and Europeans do not support the "peace initiative" of China and Brazil, as the lack of mention of the UN Charter is seen as an endorsement of Moscow's strategy.
