In an interview published in the newspapers of the CH Media Group on Saturday, Rasmussen said that he does not understand the Swiss government’s decision to deny Ukraine access to Swiss-made ammunition. The re-export of the 35mm anti-aircraft shells, originally supplied by Swiss companies to the German army decades ago, was ruled out by the Swiss government.
“Switzerland has surprised me incredibly, but not in a good way,” said Rasmussen. “Europe is in an existential struggle between democracy and autocracy,” he continued. “No country in the world can remain neutral. It makes no sense”.
By not allowing Germany to supply Ukraine with urgently needed Swiss ammunition, Switzerland is hampering German efforts, according to Rasmussen. This decision will certainly have repercussions for Switzerland, he said.
“NATO members will think twice before entrusting the production of munitions or other war materials to Switzerland.”
Neutral Switzerland requires countries that buy Swiss arms to seek permission to re-export them. According to Swiss law, exports of war material must be refused if the country of destination is involved in an international armed conflict.
Rasmussen was secretary general of the military alliance for more than five years, from 2009 to 2014. He was succeeded by Jens Stoltenberg of Norway.
Popular Stories
More
Workplace Switzerland
‘Swatch has no competition’ in its Swiss-made watch segment
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Switzerland must urgently improve electricity distribution, says new sector boss
This content was published on
Switzerland needs to develop its electricity transmission and distribution network, says the new president of the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies, Martin Schwab.
Dutch mountaineer dies in Silvretta Alps on Swiss-Austrian border
This content was published on
A Dutch alpinist died in a fall on the Silvrettahorn in eastern Switzerland on Friday while descending the peak, cantonal police announced.
Many Swiss unenthusiastic about Eurovision song contest hosting duties
This content was published on
Less than half of the Swiss population are looking forward to the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Switzerland, says a new survey.
Béjart Ballet: Julien Favreau confirmed as Artistic Director
This content was published on
Julien Favreau has been confirmed as Artistic Director of Béjart Ballet Lausanne. The Frenchman had been acting in this role since February.
Historian urges further scrutiny of Zurich art collection’s provenance
This content was published on
An investigation led by Raphael Gross concluded that the provenance of the collection's pieces and also its name warrant a closer look.
Tourism spending in Switzerland hit record levels in 2023
This content was published on
Both revenue generated from foreign guests as well as spending by the Swiss on travels abroad rose to above pre-pandemic highs.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.