Switzerland on Wednesday banned Germany from sending Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine for anti-aircraft defense tanks that Berlin wants to deliver to Kyiv, which needs it against cruise missiles and kamikaze drones.
“There is still no reason to respond favorably to Germany’s request to send Swiss war material to Ukraine” in the name of the neutrality law and Swiss legislation on war material, explains Guy Parmelin, Minister of Economy in a letter to the German Minister of Economy. Defense, Christine Lambrecht.
Bern had rejected a first request in June, but the German minister recently returned to the accusation arguing, according to the weekly spiegel that the Gepard was a crucial element for the protection of Ukrainian infrastructure and, in particular, of the ports in the south of the country from which grain exports depart.
Swiss neutrality in question
In this specific case, it concerns 12,400 35mm ammunition destined for the Gepard, a tracked, two-tube anti-aircraft defense system equipped with a firing radar that the Ukrainians require in particular to destroy cruise missiles in flight and suicide drones launched by Russians. cash.
Germany has delivered or is in the process of delivering 30 Gepards to Ukraine, according to official figures from the federal government.
The neutrality debate has been revived in Switzerland by the Federal Council’s decision to adopt all sanctions introduced against Russia by the European Union since February 24 and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Some Swiss politicians, particularly in the ranks of the SVP (radical right and main party in the country), believe that this is already compromising too much and undermining the principle of neutrality.
The President of the Confederation and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, tirelessly repeats that this is not the case.
Source: BFM TV
