Switzerland moves closer to waiving ban on Ukraine arms re-export
A committee in the Swiss parliament on Tuesday proposed a conditional waiving of the ban on arms re-exports to Ukraine.
The House of Representative’s Security Policy Committee proposed lifting the controversial ban under strict conditions: only after five years, and only in “exceptional” circumstances, according to the parliamentary press service.
The committee had already discussed the issue last month.
“The majority of the committee deems that Switzerland should make a contribution to European security, which includes providing more aid to Ukraine,” it said at the time.
The waiver would need a vote from the full parliament to come into force.
+ Read more about the lower house move
Traditionally neutral Switzerland has faced criticism from Germany and Spain over blocking shipments of Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine. It also came under international pressure on the same issue at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month.
The ban stems from provisions in its law on war materiel aimed at preventing Swiss arms from ending up in conflict zones.
Correction, February 22, 2023: this article previously incorrectly stated that the committee involved was from the Senate.
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