Switzerland supports the delivery of 25 decommissioned Leopard 2 tanks to Germany – provided they are not used in Ukraine. This was preceded by a corresponding request from the Federal Government.
The Swiss government voted in favor of selling 25 decommissioned Leopard 2 tanks to the German manufacturer Rheinmetall. The condition, however, is that the weapons are not exported to Ukraine. The decision now needs to be approved by the Swiss Federal Assembly, which consists of the National Council and the smaller Council of States. After that, the planned export still needs to be approved by the Swiss Ministry of Economic Affairs.
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In February, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius asked that the Leopard 2 tanks be sold back to German manufacturer Rheinmetall. The aim is to replace the tanks being delivered to Ukraine. The ministers assured neutral Switzerland that they would not pass war equipment to Ukraine.
The Swiss Army currently has 134 refurbished Leopard 2 A4 WE tanks and another 96 unrefurbished decommissioned tanks. “There is no further use planned for 25 of the 96 tanks decommissioned by the Swiss army,” the Federal Council said. “So that number can be decommissioned and sold without preventing the Army from meeting its own needs.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Switzerland to confront its long-standing constitutional neutrality. Among other things, this prohibits the export of Swiss-made or Swiss-owned weapons to the parties to the conflict.