How should a neutral country like Switzerland handle arms exports to conflict zones?

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Reporter specialised in Swiss foreign affairs, with a side hustle as a sub-editor in the English Department. Previously my focus was on disinformation and fact-checks, which I still produce occasionally.

Deutsch

Wie sollte ein neutrales Land wie die Schweiz mit Waffenexporten in Konfliktgebiete umgehen?
Français

Comment un pays neutre comme la Suisse doit-il gérer les exportations d’armes vers des zones de conflit?
Italiano

Come dovrebbe comportarsi un Paese neutrale come la Svizzera riguardo all’esportazione di armi verso zone di conflitto?
Español

¿Cómo debería un país neutral como Suiza manejar las exportaciones de armas a zonas de conflicto?
Português

País neutro pode vender armas a zonas de conflito?
العربية

كيف يجب على دولة محايدة مثل سويسرا أن تتعامل مع صادرات الأسلحة إلى مناطق النزاعات؟
中文

向冲突地区出口武器：像瑞士这样的中立国家如何处理？
Русский

Как нейтральной стране, такой как Швейцария, следует регулировать экспорт своих вооружений в зоны конфликтов?

Swiss law prohibits the selling of domestically made arms to countries at war. But this could soon change: parliament is debating amendments to the War Materiel Act.

The move comes after Switzerland was criticised for preventing Germany and others from re-exporting Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine, a decision that prompted Europeans to cut off Swiss arms manufacturers.

A parliamentary committee recently voted in favour of allowing, under certain conditions, the export and re-export of weapons to countries involved in conflict. The Senate is set to vote on the issue this winter.

What do you think are the pros and cons of neutral Switzerland allowing its weapons to enter conflict zones? And how would this change your perception of Swiss neutrality?

National Council committee wants to authorise more war material exports

Foreign Affairs

Swiss parliamentary committee backs weapons exports to conflict zones

This content was published on Nov 12, 2025 Swiss defence companies should be permitted to supply weapons to conflict zones.

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www.molinaco.com 2025-12-23 10:29

The following contribution has been automatically translated from ES.

In Panama there have been sporadic cases of deposits of funds from internationally prominent individuals, which has generated significant challenges in terms of banking supervision, regulatory compliance and reputational risk.__An emblematic case was the one in which a Lithuanian citizen acquired Banco Trasatlántico, S.A. Subsequently, this individual was arrested by the London authorities for alleged financial crimes. As a direct consequence of these events, the bank was subject to a merger process and was later included in the so-called Clinton List (OFAC), which caused severe operational restrictions and affected the financial system.__These types of situations demonstrate the importance of applying strict controls of enhanced due diligence, both in the acquisition of banking entities and in merger and corporate reorganisation processes. In the Panamanian context, bank mergers should not only be evaluated from a financial perspective, but also from the angle of regulatory compliance, transparency of the origin of funds and international reputational risk, which are key elements to preserve the stability and credibility of the Panamanian banking centre.

En Panamá han existido casos esporádicos de depósitos de fondos provenientes de personajes de relevancia internacional, lo que ha generado importantes retos en materia de supervisión bancaria, cumplimiento normativo y riesgo reputacional.__Un caso emblemático fue aquel en el que un ciudadano lituano adquirió el Banco Trasatlántico, S.A. Posteriormente, dicho individuo fue detenido por las autoridades londinenses por presuntos delitos financieros. Como consecuencia directa de estos hechos, la entidad bancaria fue objeto de un proceso de fusión y, más adelante, terminó siendo incluida en la denominada Lista Clinton (OFAC), lo que provocó severas restricciones operativas y afectaciones al sistema financiero.__Este tipo de situaciones evidencian la importancia de aplicar controles estrictos de debida diligencia reforzada, tanto en la adquisición de entidades bancarias como en los procesos de fusión y reorganización corporativa. En el contexto panameño, las fusiones bancarias no solo deben evaluarse desde una perspectiva financiera, sino también desde el ángulo del cumplimiento regulatorio, la transparencia del origen de los fondos y el riesgo reputacional internacional, elementos clave para preservar la estabilidad y credibilidad del centro bancario panameño.

Texswiss 2025-12-05 19:51

What’s the point of having an arms industry if the weapons can’t be used? That said, it’s a sad commentary on human evolution where nations are forced to spend limited resources on tools of death when humanity would be much better served improving the lives of ordinary people.

Sera wilkens 2025-12-03 21:15

The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

How can we come to live in this country

Comment peut-on venir vivre dans ce pays

Ulmer 2025-12-02 20:12

The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

That would be asking too much of Switzerland.__If the Vatican had an arms industry, it would supply weapons in the same way ...

Das wär zuviel verlangt von der Schweiz.__Hätte der Vatikan eine Waffenindustrie, würde er genauso Waffen liefern ...

blob 2025-12-01 19:17

The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

As a staunch pacifist, I am in favour of a total ban on the export of weapons to war zones. Yes, the current practice actually shows that the relevant laws need to be tightened up so that unscrupulous money-making cannot take place via third countries.____Neutrality has its price and is only c o s e q u e n t credible.____In the armed conflicts, thousands and thousands of people are highly traumatised - the scars remain even after the eventual processing; wounded people...

Als überzeugte Pazifistin stehe ich ein für das totale Verbot der Ausfuhr von Waffen in Kriegsgebiete. Ja, eigentlich zeigt sich durch die aktuelle Praxis, dass die entsprechenden Gesetze verschärft gehören, damit die skrupellose Geldmacherei nicht über Drittländer vonstatten gehen kann.____Neutralität hat ihren Preis und ist ausschliesslich k o s e q u e n t glaubhaft.____In den kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen werden Abertausende von Menschen hochgradig traumatisiert - die Narben bleiben auch nach der allfälligen Aufarbeitung zurück; versehrte Menschen eben...

swisstester123@gmail.com 2025-11-21 13:15

It is purely a business which needs to be closely managed. Switzerland does not manufacture weapons of mass destruction and so small arms or bombs or projectiles are surely okay to be manufactured and sold. Swiss quality is not cheap, so I would not worry that suddenly countries start to buy Swiss bullets and swiss small arms.

gbmwtr@bluewin.ch 2025-11-20 11:51

The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

Well. Maintain neutrality... until it comes to the money...

Na ja. Neutralität bewahren... bis es ums Geld geht...

Geraldine Wong SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2025-12-04 10:57

@gbmwtr@bluewin.ch

Europe is going on a bit of a defence spending spree at the moment and some Swiss arms manufacturers are worried they're not getting a piece of that pie: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/switzerlands-neutrality-is-holding-back-its-defense-industry/89238160

ProperD 2025-11-18 16:34

I don't see why "neutral" and "arms exports to conflict zones" are in the same sentence. I mean...what's so neutral about that

Geraldine Wong SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2025-12-04 10:52

@ProperD

Thanks for your comment, ProperD. Indeed, some people argue that allowing exports and re-exports of Swiss-made arms would be a breach of Switzerland's long-standing military neutrality ...

How should a neutral country like Switzerland handle arms exports to conflict zones?

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Swiss parliamentary committee backs weapons exports to conflict zones

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