Switzerland’s state-owned arms manufacturer RUAG wants to sell 98 old Leopard 1 tanks to Germany for later use in Ukraine, SRF reports. So far, the Swiss authorities are giving RUAG negative signals, but the company has now officially submitted an export application.
RUAG bought the 98 tanks in Italy seven years ago to later resell them or use them for spare parts. The tanks remain in Italy, but now RUAG wants to sell them to the German Rheinmetall armaments group for further re-export to Ukraine.
“RUAG has submitted an official application to sell the Leopard 1 main battle tanks that we have in Italy. Rheinmetall is interested in buying them in order to eventually pass them on to Ukraine,” RUAG spokeswoman Kirsten Hammerich confirmed.
Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) will make the final decision. According to SRF, earlier this year, RUAG had already made a non-binding inquiry about whether the deal could be approved. SECO replied no, saying that the deal was not compatible with the sanctions provisions of the country’s Federal Council.
This time RUAG wants to receive an official decision from the Secretariat to “better assess the business options,” according to Ms. Hammerich.
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