Prospects are dim for peace in Ukraine, says Swiss foreign minister
Ignazio Cassis, who is attending the Munich Security Conference this weekend, sees no path to détente or peace talks in the short- to mid-term for the war in Ukraine.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SRF/gw
Italiano
it
Le prospettive di pace in Ucraina sono scarse, dice il ministro degli Esteri svizzero
“At the moment, I have the feeling there’s no room for negotiations,” Cassis told Swiss public television SRF following bilateral meetings in the German city. “We are facing a military escalation. You can really feel that here.”
The foreign affairs minister, who is representing the Alpine country in Munich together with Defence Minister Viola Amherd, also said that Switzerland was not in a position to act as a mediator in the conflict.
Russia, he explained, has lobbed Switzerland into the Western camp for adopting European Union sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. For this reason, it was no longer perceived as “sufficiently neutral” by the Russians to be a mediator.
The subject of Swiss neutrality came up in discussions in Munich, Cassis added, even if he “didn’t have to defend or promote” it. With the war in Ukraine, the country’s traditional neutrality has come under heavy scrutiny, not only for its position on sanctions, but also for its decision to ban the re-export of Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine.
More
More
Foreign press criticises Swiss neutrality in Ukraine war
This content was published on
The international media has been critical of Switzerland’s political neutrality in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Hundreds of political leaders, military officials and diplomats are in Munich for the annual European security gathering, taking place just days before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an appearance by video link, urging allies to speed up delivery of weapons to counter a major new offensive. According to Cassis, Zelensky struck a small note of hope when he told delegates they would see each other again next year in Munich – after the war is over.
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.
Wanted: politically convenient definition of ‘neutrality’
This content was published on
Switzerland is in search of a new interpretation of its neutrality. An international comparison shows there are plenty of variations.
This content was published on
Switzerland will not change its policy of political neutrality despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government has confirmed.
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.