Ukraine: A risky special operation to force negotiations
Hopefully they have a plan: That is the sigh with which government politicians and officers in the West look at the invasion of the Ukrainian army into Russia. Hopefully the president and military leadership in Kiev have thought through what they have set in motion – the deployment of several hundred, perhaps thousands of soldiers to take control of parts of the Russian border region of Kursk. Because at the same time, the front in the Donbass is becoming increasingly fragile, and Russian units are fighting their way to strategically important points. Is it wise to send soldiers who are urgently needed on this part of the front to a special operation somewhere else entirely? The Ukrainian army chief Olexander Sirski has already managed to pull off a surprise. In September 2022, as commander of the ground forces, he commanded the liberation of the Kharkiv region. He had outwitted the Russians then. As he did now in Kursk. Sirski’s problem now will be to hold the area in Kursk. To make his soldiers storm-proof in positions there until Russia is perhaps ready for peace negotiations on an equal footing. Or to withdraw quickly and with as few losses as possible. Hopefully he has a plan. Markus Bernath
Wage round 2025: A moderate increase makes sense
The surge in prices from 2021 was painful for employees: real wages have fallen for three years in a row. Adjusted for inflation, salaries are still below the 2016 level. It was right that employees accepted these losses and held back on excessive wage demands. In this way, they helped to quickly tame the specter of inflation. Switzerland has effectively succeeded in preventing a wage-price spiral that would have unnecessarily prolonged the surge in prices. The inflation rate has now fallen back to 1.3 percent. However, this moderation on the part of employees, which corresponds to the tradition of consensual social partnership in Switzerland, should now also be rewarded. It is true that economic uncertainty remains high. The strong franc is also putting pressure on companies. Nevertheless, most companies are again making very good profits. A generous attitude in the coming autumn of wages is therefore justifiable. Last but not least, rising salaries also support positive consumer sentiment in the country. Albert Steck
Olympic record: Good, but not outstanding – typically Swiss
The Swiss delegation will leave Paris with eight medals. This is in line with what was achieved at previous Games, only in 2021 there was significantly more to celebrate with thirteen podium places, thanks also to luck in the competition. Swiss sport has become much more professional in recent years, but there is no medal factory in this country with one exception: Swiss Ski invests over 70 million francs in the sport every year and regularly celebrates great successes. The Swiss team in Paris also lacked charismatic leaders such as Roger Federer, Nicola Spirig or Jolanda Neff at previous events. Ultimately, the maximum was made with the limited resources compared to international standards – typical Switzerland. Remo Geisser
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