What is the future of Swiss neutrality?
After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Moscow declared that Switzerland was no longer neutral as it had adopted Western sanctions against Russia.
In August, a commission set up by the Swiss government made proposals for the country’s future security policy – including a rapprochement with NATO. Western media wrote that Switzerland wanted to give up its neutrality.
Is Swiss neutrality misunderstood? Or has the Swiss model of neutrality now become obsolete? What do you think? We look forward to your comments.
Neutrality is also a confirmation that we do not want or support war and that we are exclusively in favour of peace.
Neutralitaet ist auch eine Bestaetigung, dass wir keinen Krieg wollen oder unterstuetzen, sowie ausschliesslich fuer den Frieden sind.
It seems interesting to me that Switzerland appears to be modernising its understanding of neutrality: away from the absolute military neutrality of the Hague Conventions (which treated both sides equally) towards the UN Charter (which distinguishes between aggressor and victim). Switzerland has also recognised Ukraine's right to self-defence, which is legal under international law, and condemned Russia's aggression.
Interessant erscheint mir, dass die Schweiz ihr Neutralitätsverständnis zu modernisieren scheint: Weg von der absoluten militärischen Neutralität der Haager Konventionen (die beide Seiten gleich behandelte) hin zur UNO-Charta (die zwischen Aggressor und Opfer unterscheidet). Die Schweiz hat auch das völkerrechtlich legale Selbstverteidigungsrecht der Ukraine anerkannt und die Aggression Russlands verurteilt.
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