Switzerland to release another CHF1.5 billion for Ukraine
Journalists listen as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the Third Ministerial Roundtable Discussion for Support to Ukraine being held at World Bank Group headquarters in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
Keystone / Shawn Thew
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has emphasised Switzerland’s commitment to long-term support for Ukraine. The government said it intends to provide at least another CHF1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) by 2028.
This content was published on
3 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Español
es
Suiza destinará otros 1 500 millones de francos a Ucrania
The support is to be provided as part of the international cooperation strategy for 2025 to 2028, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Together with the CHF300 million earmarked for 2023 and 2024, Switzerland would support Ukraine with at least CHF1.8 billion over the next six years, it said.
Swiss cantons have also donated five ambulances to Ukraine, it was announced on Thursday. Three fire engines and fire fighting equipment will also be delivered in the coming weeks.
Speaking at the spring meeting of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC, Cassis also emphasised the importance of the Lugano Declaration, the result of the first conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, held in the Swiss city of Lugano in July 2022.
According to Cassis, the declaration contains important guiding principles for reforms and transparency which are necessary for sustainable reconstruction.
More
More
Swiss conference sets principles for Ukraine reconstruction
This content was published on
An international conference to support Ukraine has agreed to a series of principles to oversee the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
Before the conference Cassis met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. He also wants to use his stay in Washington to establish contacts with high-ranking representatives of the WBG and the countries that belong to Switzerland’s constituency in the so-called Bretton Woods institutions (WBG and IMF).
America strategy
Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter and Swiss National Bank President Thomas Jordan will also take part in the IMF conference on Friday. The two will present “Switzerland’s most recent measures to safeguard financial stability” at the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, according to the foreign ministry.
The conference comes almost a month after Credit Suisse, Switzerland’s second-largest bank, imploded, requiring a government-ordered merger with rival UBS.
More
More
Swiss regulator calls for more power after Credit Suisse turmoil
This content was published on
FINMA wants more power to sanction and name and shame banks that break the rules, following the Credit Suisse collapse.
The foreign ministry also emphasised that since February 2022 the government has been pursuing an America strategy with which “Switzerland is striving for a coherent approach towards the American continent and to strengthen the coherence of Swiss foreign policy”.
As part of the implementation of this strategy, Cassis will travel to Chicago on Friday to take stock of the re-opening of the consulate general there. The re-opening corresponded to a request from parliament, which had called for more support for Swiss companies in the greater Chicago area.
More
More
Switzerland re-opens consulate in Chicago
This content was published on
Switzerland’s foreign minister inaugurated a new consulate general in Chicago.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
A twin of the Milky Way existed in the young cosmos
This content was published on
A billion years after the Big Bang, there was already a spiral galaxy that resembles the Milky Way, according to the James Webb Space Telescope
Trains resume service to Swiss ski resort Zermatt after heavy snowfall
This content was published on
Zermatt can once again be reached by train starting Saturday afternoon. The Alpine holiday resort was inaccessible by land for some time after heavy snowfall last Thursday.
Authorities urge vigilance after heavy snowfall in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Vigilance remains the order of the day in the southern canton of Valais, despite a stable situation after heavy snow on Thursday, authorities said on Saturday.
Switzerland won’t be spared drug violence: criminal police head
This content was published on
It is only a matter of time before Switzerland, like other countries in Europe, experiences an escalation in drug-related violence, says the head of the Federal Criminal Police.
Handful of Swiss Easter processions take place after inclement weather
This content was published on
Traditional Good Friday processions continue to take place in some municipalities in Switzerland. In Romont, canton Fribourg, for example, the "Pleureuses" marched through the streets.
Great St. Bernard pass between Switzerland and Italy closed due to avalanche
This content was published on
An avalanche forced the closure of the Great St. Bernard pass between Switzerland and Italy on Thursday. The route remains closed to Easter traffic.
‘Pressure will increase on Switzerland to invest more in defence’
This content was published on
Markus Mäder, Switzerland's state secretary for security policy, believes that more cooperation is needed in order to strengthen defence in Europe.
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
Switzerland and the US plan annual talks
This content was published on
This declaration of intent represents a “significant milestone” with one of Switzerland’s main partners in many areas, according to Swiss State Secretary Livia Leu. She met on Friday with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman. “We value our Swiss partners and will continue to work together closely to advance shared interests bilaterally and on…
How the war in Ukraine fuels underfunding for other crises
This content was published on
UN refugee agency UNHCR says it is facing an unprecedented funding gap this year. The situation is similar for other aid agencies.
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.