If Putin attacked Ukraine to prevent possible NATO expansion, he undoubtedly achieved the opposite effect. If this now becomes clear with Finland’s official application for membership, which Sweden also announces, Switzerland’s neutral status seems indestructible. And yet something is moving. The Swiss are reconsidering and, according to reports from the Ministry of Defense, are about to face one of the greatest challenges of the past few decades. And it is precisely the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and with it the fear of where Putin might end up, that brings him closer to the western military powers.
Switzerland and NATO: first exercises
Switzerland is preparing a report “on security options that include joint military exercises with NATO countries and ammunition replenishment,” Paelvi Pulli, head of security policy at the Swiss Defense Ministry, told Reuters. “Ultimately there may be changes in the interpretation of neutrality,” Pulli said in an interview last week. Defense Minister Viola Amherd said during a trip to Washington in the last few days that Switzerland should work more closely with the US-led military alliance, but – as reported by the Swiss media – not join it. “The neutrality that we kept out of both world wars in the 20th century was not an end in itself, but was intended to increase the security of our country,” said Pulli.
Among the options on the table for this “opening” are regular high-level meetings between Swiss and NATO commanders and politicians, he added. Such a rapprochement with the alliance would mean a departure from the carefully nurtured tradition of nonpartisanship that supporters believe has helped Switzerland to thrive peacefully and play a special mediating role even during the Western standoff with the Soviet Union. The idea of full NATO membership has been mooted, but while Sweden and Finland – countries that also have a history of neutrality – are close to joining, Pulli said the report is unlikely to recommend Switzerland’s move.
The report – Reuters reports – should be ready by the end of September, when it will be examined by the Swiss cabinet. It is submitted to Parliament for discussion and serves as a basis for possible decisions on the future direction of Swiss security policy. The report itself will not be put to the vote. The Department of Defense will also participate in a larger study being prepared by the State Department. This project will examine the imposition of sanctions, weapons, ammunition exports and the relationship with NATO from a neutral perspective, the State Department said.
The internal debate: For a NATO rapprochement
The Ukraine conflict has reignited internal debate, which now focuses on the government’s decisions to impose sanctions on Russia but not allow Swiss-made munitions to be re-exported to Ukraine. “There is a lot of uneasiness that Switzerland can no longer contribute to the aid of Ukraine,” Pulli said.
The bypass, or how Switzerland is supplying ammunition to other countries to replace that sent to Ukraine, “is another possible measure,” confirmed Pulli, although direct supply is likely a step too far. President Ignazio Cassis has ruled out arms sales to third countries in support of Ukraine, but with a broader perspective, he added that neutrality “is not dogma”.
Russian Embassy and Bern: we cannot ignore that
Switzerland “can’t join an alliance because of its neutrality, but we can work together and the systems we buy are a good basis for this,” Defense Minister Amherd told SRF. The measures in question would be a significant step for a country that only joined the United Nations in 2002 and produces many of its own weapons. Vladimir Khokhlov, spokesman for the Russian embassy in Bern, said such measures would amount to a radical change in policy for Switzerland. Moscow will “not be able to ignore” a waiver of neutrality, which would have consequences.
The Swiss army advocates increased cooperation with NATO to strengthen national defenses, while public opinion has undergone a radical change from the day Ukraine was invaded to the present day. According to a recent poll, more than half of respondents (56%) support strengthening ties with NATO, well above the 37% average seen in recent years. Support for effective accession to the treaty remains a minority position but has increased significantly. Sotomo’s April poll found that 33% of Swiss are in favor of joining the alliance, a percentage higher than the long-term view of 21% in a separate ETH Zurich study.
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