The German Gepard anti-aircraft tanks delivered from Berlin to Kyiv will soon run out of ammunition. However, they are very effective in destroying the murderous Iranian drones launched by the Russians into the cities of Ukraine. Ammunition? They sleep in German military camps and wait for approval from the Federal Council in Bern. But the Swiss government says no, as it did for the first time at the beginning of the summer.
On Wednesday, November 2, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin rejected a request by German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht to send 12,400 Swiss-made 35mm ammunition to the Ukrainian army. Reason: Such a delivery would be legally impossible due to Swiss neutrality and the law prohibiting the re-export of war material to conflict zones.
Relations between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) have been in an unprecedented ice age since Bern unilaterally broke off negotiations on a new partnership in May 2021. With this unyielding stance on its historical neutrality, “Switzerland prefers to stay away from the international community,” says the Sunday edition of the daily newspaper “Neue Zürcher Zeitung”. In fact, since Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Bern has been uneasy and sticking to its literal reading of neutrality – while Europe’s collective security environment has changed. Other neutral countries like Sweden adapted faster.
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The President of the Defense Committee of the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, said in Berlin that she understood that “Switzerland, as a neighbor and friend, does not want to pass on ammunition (…) because of its neutrality”. Before continuing in a more annoyed tone: “It is unfortunate, however, because they would be used to repel airstrikes on wheat-laden ships in Ukrainian ports. If this does not succeed, 190 million people will starve to death worldwide. »
Thinly veiled blackmail
In the absence of their main supplier of ammunition, the Germans saw fit to remind Switzerland that they also source cartridges from Switzerland for their Mantis anti-aircraft system, their Puma tanks and their Tornado and Eurofighter fighter jets. And that orders of at least 20 billion euros will be necessary in the coming years, but that “the supply chains may have to be reorganized”.
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