Swiss neutrality over arming Ukraine under pressure at WEF

Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

The president of the European Commission, NATO's Secretary General and the mayor of Kyiv have called for arming Ukraine at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. 

Senior officials at the WEF’s annual gathering questioned Switzerland’s principle of neutrality on Thursday. 

“Abstention is not an option. Everyone has to be clear on their positions: law or the law of force, democracy and fundamental rights or autocracy,” said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. 

However, she acknowledged that the decision to authorise arms deliveries to Ukraine rests with Switzerland. 

“It is very hard for me to judge because it is not my responsibility; it is really a Swiss method,” she told French media when asked if the Alpine nation should relax its neutrality and accept Swiss munitions being delivered to Ukraine. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, also present at WEF, called on all nations to help provide military support to Ukraine. 

“In the case of Ukraine, it is not about neutrality. It is about respecting the right to self-defence, protecting the rule of law, and defending the UN Charter,” he said. 

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, also chimed in on the issue of neutrality. 

“We understand Switzerland and its neutrality, but at the moment, when it comes to common values, one cannot be neutral,” he said in an interview with Swiss media outlet Blick. The former heavyweight boxer called on Switzerland “to deliver defence weapons that protect people’s lives, for example air defence systems”.

Germany still wants Switzerland to authorise it to be able to deliver tanks with Swiss components to Ukraine. Spain would also like to be able to re-export Swiss equipment to Ukraine. On Monday it submitted an official request to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

Swiss response

Von der Leyen’s statements were not a criticism, according to Interior Minister Alain Berset, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year. He said the position imposed by Swiss neutrality in the war in Ukraine “was well understood”.

Berset agreed with the European Commission president that “abstention is not an option”.

“That is why we have resumed European sanctions against Russia,” he told the press on Thursday after his bilateral meetings at WEF. 

With regard to the use of Swiss munitions by Ukraine, he reiterated that the law of neutrality prohibited not only the export but also the re-export of Swiss arms. Berset added that the clause was a part of the contracts signed with partner countries.