According to this report on Swiss neutrality, of which the publication SonntagsZeitung says it obtained a copy, Switzerland should lift its prohibition on partner states handing over Swiss-made arms to democratic states that have been attacked.
This is a clear reference to Ukraine, where some European and Western states have been supplying arms to help Kyiv fight back against Russian aggression, but Switzerland’s arms export rules do not allow it to do so. Maintaining the status quo means Switzerland’s security would no longer be guaranteed and would be incomprehensible to its partners, says the report as cited by SonntagsZeitung.
The report also looks at the issue of ties with the NATO military alliance. If full membership is not possible, the report’s authors wish to examine forms of closer cooperation with NATO.
This is the first report to give substance to the notion of “collaborative neutrality” recently mooted by Swiss President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, says newspaper. His ministry has been preparing the report at his request since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The war has provoked a political debate on Switzerland’s neutrality, especially after Bern adopted European Union sanctions against Russia.
The report is currently under consultation with federal government offices and should be adopted by the cabinet before the end of the summer, a foreign ministry spokesperson told news agency Keystone-SDA on Sunday.
Correction: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that Switzerland should be able to supply arms to democratic states that have been attacked.
More
More
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.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
This content was published on
The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
This content was published on
The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
Swiss minister: Italy will back Switzerland in EU talks
This content was published on
Bern can count on the backing of Italy as it re-enters talks with the European Union on future relations, Viola Amherd says.
Student protestors at University of Lausanne continue pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
Since Thursday, a hall on campus has been occupied by students calling for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and a ceasefire in Gaza.
This content was published on
Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Israel: president of Swiss universities rejects academic boycott
This content was published on
Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, the umbrella group of Swiss universities, is not in favour of an academic boycott of Israeli universities.
Calls grow louder for Switzerland to redefine neutrality
This content was published on
Switzerland's decision to veto the re-export of ammunition last week has reignited debate in political circles about neutrality.
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.