Croatia sees mediating role for Switzerland in Ukraine war
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic sees a role for Switzerland’s good offices in the Ukraine war. Speaking in Geneva on Thursday, he also praised the Swiss government’s “intelligent” stance in adopting European Union sanctions.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Português
pt
Croácia vê papel mediador para a Suíça na guerra da Ucrânia
Milanovic stressed the need for good offices to resolve the Ukraine crisis, telling the media that “only some countries can play this role”, without mentioning which ones. He then told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA that Switzerland was one of those countries.
More
More
What are Switzerland’s good offices good for?
This content was published on
As tensions and oil prices rise in the Middle East, the Swiss foreign ministry is offering its good offices. But what are they?
Switzerland had shown “fine watchmaking skills” in its actions in the Ukraine crisis, he added after his meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, who also holds the rotating presidency this year. In Milanovic’s opinion, Switzerland’s adoption of EU sanctions did not violate neutrality.
Cassis admitted that Ukraine had taken up a large part of discussions with his counterparts. “We are witnessing images and videos that shock us, that shake us,” he said. “This should not have happened in the 21st century.”
Cassis repeated that Switzerland wanted an independent international investigation to check whether war crimes had been committed. The UN Human Rights Council had just set up an international commission of enquiry to be entrusted with this mandate, he said.
Kosovo issue
Milanovic also warned about the situation in the Western Balkans. The Kosovo issue must be resolved, he stressed. “It is as if this issue does not exist,” he added, appealing to the other European states. He urged them “not to push the issue aside”.
For his part, Cassis praised Croatia’s commitment to the integration of further states into the EU. The prospect of accession could contribute to stability, he said.
With regard to European policy, Cassis reaffirmed that Switzerland aimed to stabilise and further develop its bilateral path with the EU. He outlined the main thrust of the government’s approach for a negotiation package with the EU and for resolving institutional issues in the individual market access agreements.
Switzerland’s second contribution to selected EU member states, which includes Croatia, was also discussed, as was Switzerland’s association to the Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programmes.
More
More
Switzerland backs full EU sanctions against Russia
This content was published on
Switzerland has decided to adopt the full range of sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top politician tells ‘corrupt’ Eurovision to stay away from Bern
This content was published on
A social media post by the president of Bern’s cantonal government critical of the Eurovision Song Contest has created waves and will be discussed in the cantonal parliament.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Russia’s war in Ukraine highlights UN fault lines
This content was published on
In some parts of the world, Russia's war in Ukraine has highlighted fault lines that could have a wider impact on global politics.
Swiss mull sanctions over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has accused Russia of breaking international law and violating Ukraine's territorial integrity over two breakaway regions.
Decades after war, Kosovo shapes up with Swiss support
This content was published on
Twenty years after the end of the war in Kosovo, the young republic still faces serious challenges, but there are many signs of progress.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.