Switzerland blocks German weapons plans for Ukraine

Sonntags Zeitung’s newspaper Switzerland On April 24, it was reported that Switzerland had blocked Germany’s plan to re-export German-made ammunition to Ukraine, citing its neutrality status and legislation banning arms shipments to conflict zones.

The fact that the Dusseldorf-based car and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, which builds the Marder infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) for the German military, uses Swiss-made ammunition has clearly become an obstacle for the German military. Berlin’s latest ammunition supply scheme to Kiev.

“Swiss Federal Economic Service Seco has received two requests from Virtue to transfer ammunition that the country had previously received from Switzerland to Ukraine,” Seco confirmed to the Sonntags Zeitung newspaper. Both requests “were denied due to Swiss neutrality and binding criteria not to supply military equipment to conflict zones,” the Swiss authorities added.

Swiss law requires Bern to agree to any arms re-export and prohibits the shipment of weapons to conflict zones. Switzerland joins the command punish Russia In a rare departure from its strict policy of neutrality after Moscow launched a military operation in Ukraine, the country has remained resolutely neutral when it comes to military aid to Ukraine.

According to media reports, Switzerland’s veto to re-export ammunition has sparked anger in Germany over its alleged failure to send any Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. However, Berlin has never officially announced any such plans.

The German government has been criticized by NATO members, especially Poland, for not doing enough to support Ukraine. The issue has even caused some tension within the cabinet.

In early April, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would only send “correct and reasonable” weapons to Kiev, adding that there were no plans to send “offensive” weapons such as tanks, but Ukraine repeatedly requested. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock then urged the West to supply Kiev with heavy weapons and appeared to criticize Chancellor Scholz, insisting that “now is not the time to make excuses”.

Initially, Germany provided Ukraine with 1,000 yen weapon anti-tank and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. In mid-March, Germany said that due to security risks, it would not disclose more information about the supply of weapons to Ukraine. In mid-April, Berlin announced it would allocate an additional $2.1 billion in military spending, much of which was earmarked to support Ukraine.

However, on April 23, a group of German politicians and public figures, including former MPs and a former assistant secretary-general of the United Nations, called on the Berlin government to stop providing military aid. for Kiev and instead worked to persuade Ukraine to give up resistance for peaceful dialogue.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine at the end of February, after accusing Kiev of failing to fulfill the terms of the Minsk agreement, first signed in 2014 and eventually Moscow’s recognition of the the self-proclaimed Donbass republics Donetsk and Lugansk. The Minsk agreement brokered by Germany and France was designed to give the breakaway regions special status in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country and will never join the NATO military bloc. America top. Kiev insists the Russian attack is completely unprovoked and rejects claims it is planning to retake the two republics in the Donbass by force.