Government against treating Ukrainian war-wounded in Swiss hospitals
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hand with an injured Ukrainian serviceman at a hospital in Dnipro, Ukraine.
Keystone / Presidential Press Service Hando
The Swiss government has objected to a NATO request to treat Ukrainians wounded in the war on the grounds of neutrality.
This content was published on
1 minute
Tages Anzeiger/ac
Español
es
El Gobierno se opone a tratar a los heridos de guerra ucranianos en hospitales suizos
According to the TagesAnzeiger newspaper, certain Swiss cantons had expressed a willingness in May to treat the wounded but opposition from governmental quarters scuppered the initiative. The request was originally made by a NATO department called the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre. This body coordinates medical evacuations from Ukraine internationally.
This request triggered investigations by Switzerland’s coordinated medical service, the Federal Office of Public Health and the foreign ministry. Three weeks later the authorities rejected the admission of wounded Ukrainians for legal and practical reasons.
The main objections were that it would violate Switzerland’s status as a neutral state under international law. For example, the Geneva Convention and Hague Agreement of 1907 require neutral states to ensure that the rehabilitated soldiers can no longer take part in military operations after their recovery.
With regard to wounded civilians, the government was of the opinion that it is almost impossible to distinguish civilians from soldiers given that many civilians in Ukraine are taking up arms to defend their country. Instead, Swiss officials prefer to help the wounded by channeling humanitarian aid to civilian hospitals in Ukraine.
Popular Stories
More
Workplace Switzerland
Trump tariff shock: how Switzerland is positioning itself
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
This content was published on
Swiss imports and exports reached new heights in the first quarter, driven by the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Shipments to the US rose sharply.
Italian in Switzerland accused of being Calabrian mafia henchman
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has charged an Italian resident of the Anello-Fruci 'Ndrangheta clan in the canton of Aargau.
Swiss CFOs have a pessimistic outlook due to trade wars
This content was published on
In the wake of the trade wars launched by US President Donald Trump, Swiss companies are assessing the future much more pessimistically.
Swiss parcel bomber had links to military and intelligence services
This content was published on
The 61-year-old man who admitted to being Patek Philippe's blackmailer in Geneva had connections in the police and the army.
Switzerland postpones online platform scrutiny as US tensions rise
This content was published on
Switzerland has delayed regulating large online platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and X while trade tensions are rising.
Swiss conference sets principles for Ukraine reconstruction
This content was published on
An international conference to support Ukraine has agreed to a series of principles to oversee the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
Wanted: politically convenient definition of ‘neutrality’
This content was published on
Switzerland is in search of a new interpretation of its neutrality. An international comparison shows there are plenty of variations.
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.