The Swiss government has vetoed Denmark’s request to supply Ukraine with Swiss-made armored vehicles, citing its neutrality policy, German-language Swiss television channel SRF reported.
Copenhagen planned to donate Piranha III armored personnel carriers to Ukraine for use in the conflict with Russia. The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, however, rejected a request to send around 20 of the vehicles to Kiev.
Denmark previously committed itself not to re-export Swiss-made weapons to other countries without Bern’s approval, Russian TV network RT reported.
While Switzerland has partially abandoned its long-standing neutrality policy in joining sanctions against Russia over the military offensive against Ukraine, Bern has said its neutrality does not permit the provision of arms for use in conflict zones.
According to the SRF report, the Swiss Federal Council may shift its stance on the issue this or next Friday, with a number of MPs saying there is some leeway in the country’s War Material Act. In their view, the legislation might allow Bern to permit other countries to re-export their weaponry to conflict zones under certain circumstances.
Some analysts disagree, however. Jean-Marc Rickli, head of Global and Emerging Risks at the Geneva Center for Security Policy, believes the government is legally justified in banning the re-export of Swiss weaponry to Ukraine. Given Switzerland’s neutrality, “agreeing on the export would be a violation of international law as well as Swiss domestic law,” he was quoted as saying.
On the same basis, Switzerland previously vetoed the provision of Swiss-made ammunition used in German Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to Kiev, the report said.
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