Dhe Switzerland struggles with its neutrality. Putin’s war of aggression has left the country in need of explanation. Citing its neutrality under international law, it refuses to release ammunition produced within its own borders for the Gepard tank or to grant overflight rights for NATO transport aircraft loaded with weapons. It stabs the western alliance in the back. The EU and NATO partners are committed to peace, freedom and democracy – all of which are values that Swiss politicians also uphold. And NATO forms a protective ring around Switzerland that makes a direct attack by Russia almost impossible. In terms of security policy, it is a free rider.
Various ideas are now circulating in Switzerland from left to right as to how neutrality should be defined, reformed and preserved against the current background. According to the law of neutrality, Switzerland may not take part militarily in armed conflicts between other states. It may neither supply arms nor make its territory available to warring factions. A look back, however, shows that Switzerland was not always too precise about this – not for political reasons, but for its own economic advantage. During World War II it supplied weapons to the Nazis, supported by government loans from Bern. Even later, Swiss armaments went to countries like Saudi Arabia, which is waging war against Yemen.
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