Switzerland inaugurates new multi-million-franc Moscow embassy
The new Swiss embassy in Moscow brings together various overseas services in one location
Yuri Palmin, FDFA
Switzerland has inaugurated a new embassy in Moscow. The CHF42 million ($42 million) building brings together various agencies that promote Swiss interests abroad.
The new embassy in the Russian capital External linkis one of Switzerland’s largest diplomatic representations overseas and reflects the importance of relations between the two countries, according to the foreign ministry.
The inauguration on Tuesday evening – the start of a three-day celebration with 800 guests – was attended by Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
The new embassy consists of two buildings, an existing structure from the 19th century that was too small for diplomatic staff and officials, and a new building, designed by the Lausanne architects Brauen and Wälchli.
To ensure greater synergies, the embassy will bring together under one roof the diplomatic and consular service, the Swiss Business Hub, the culture service Pro Helvetia, Switzerland Tourism and the ambassador’s residence.
View of the Swiss embassy’s inner courtyard
Yuri Palmin, FDFA
There are currently around 70 diplomatic staff working at the embassy, including 31 Swiss nationals. The current ambassador is former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Yves Rossier, who has been in Moscow since December 2016.
Building work was initiated before the Ukraine crisis broke out in 2013. Its completion follows strained relations last year between Switzerland and Russia after a series of revelations of alleged spying by Russians in Switzerland, which Moscow denied. At a press conference in Geneva last November, Cassis and Lavrov said pragmatic talks had ironed out problems.
On Tuesday, Rossier told Swiss public radio, RTS, that the spying affair had been resolved, and suggested that the new embassy was not linked in any way to current affairs.
“When you build an embassy, it’s an embassy for a country. It is not an embassy for a government that heads that country at a specific moment in history. This embassy is here to stay 100, maybe 200 years. It does not reflect the state of relations or opinions on how the country is managed at a particular time,” the Swiss diplomat commented.
View of the renovated facade of the Swiss embassy in Moscow
Yuri Palmin, FDFA
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Heimatort, sweet Heimatort: the unique Swiss concept of home
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?
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss police officer dismissed after Hitler salute at WEF
This content was published on
An employee of the crisis-ridden cantonal police force of Basel City has been dismissed after doing a Hitler salute at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
Myanmar earthquake: foreign ministry has no news on Swiss victims
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry is not yet aware of any Swiss nationals among the victims or those affected by the earthquake that struck central Myanmar.
Swiss military jet crash: air traffic controller found guilty
This content was published on
Over eight and a half years after the fatal F/A-18 military jet accident in Switzerland, an air traffic controller has been found guilty of negligent homicide by a military appeals court.
Viola Amherd hands over keys of Swiss defence ministry to Martin Pfister
This content was published on
On Friday, the new Swiss government minister Martin Pfister was symbolically presented with the keys to the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport by outgoing minister Viola Amherd.
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.
Read more
More
Switzerland sends humanitarian supplies to Ukraine conflict zone
This content was published on
Between April 2015 and October 2018, Switzerland shipped 9,500 tons of relief supplies to the eastern European country, the Swiss government said in a statementExternal link. The Swiss Humanitarian Aid unitExternal link, which is part of the Swiss Agency for Development and CooperationExternal link (SDC), has dispatched a total of 130 lorries carrying 2,500 tons…
This content was published on
The Swiss representation in Minsk will be upgraded to a full embassy due to the growing strategic importance of the former Soviet republic.
Russian spying has ‘calmed down’, says Swiss foreign minister
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Geneva on Wednesday for a working lunch.
Russian agents ‘tried to spy on Swiss chemicals lab’
This content was published on
Media report: two Russian agents suspected of trying to spy on a Swiss laboratory were arrested in the Netherlands and expelled early this year.
One in four Russian diplomats in Switzerland is a spy, report claims
This content was published on
A report compiled for the Swiss government says that one out of every four Russian diplomats based in Switzerland is a spy, Swiss papers claim.
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.