Swiss parliament votes against re-exporting military material to Ukraine

02/06/2023

1 minute read

The Swiss House of Representatives has voted against a proposal to permit the re-export of Swiss-produced military equipment to Ukraine, Swissinfo reports. Despite the Security Policy Committee’s recommendation to ease such rules, the decision keeps the status quo intact, citing neutrality concerns.

The proposal was dismissed with 98 votes in favor, 75 against, and 2 abstentions. This decision aligns with Switzerland’s neutrality policy and was primarily advocated by the Swiss People’s Party and the Greens. The vote occurred on the same day as Switzerland’s President Alain Berset met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European Political Community summit in Moldova.

The vote negates recommendations by the Security Policy Committee, which had earlier proposed easing restrictions on re-exporting Swiss armaments, in response to requests from countries including Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Spain.

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter