Russia criticises Swiss diplomatic reaction to Ukraine
The Kremlin denies that it was behind violations of humanitarian law in Ukraine.
Keystone / Yuri Kochetkov
The Russian foreign ministry has criticised what it labels the “arbitrary” understanding of history of Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, as well as Switzerland’s neutral position on the Ukraine war.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
Español
es
Rusia critica la reacción de la diplomacia suiza en torno a Ucrania
In a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday by the Russian embassy in Bern, diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticised Cassis (also the current Swiss foreign minister) for an interview he gave to Luxembourg newspaper Le Quotidien.
In the interview, Cassis said the Russian attack on Ukraine signalled the end “of an era – since the end of the Second World War – during which no sovereign and democratic nation on the [European] continent had been attacked”.
For Zakharova, this is not correct: “the erosion of the foundations of the post-war period and the destruction of international law were the result of bombs and missiles dropped by NATO on peaceful Yugoslav towns in 1999”, her statement read.
“This arbitrary interpretation, based on political motives”, is “completely unacceptable”, she said.
More
More
Switzerland calls for urgent probe into alleged atrocities near Kyiv
This content was published on
Reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine must be urgently investigated, say the Swiss authorities.
Zakharova also used the opportunity to criticise the Swiss reaction to the mass graves discovered at Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, last week.
The Swiss foreign ministry “ignored our detailed declaration following the barbaric crimes committed by the Ukrainian regime in Bucha and Kramatorsk, and unreservedly placed the entire responsibility on the Russian side,” Zakharova said.
Condemning Swiss declarations about these crimes, she said she hoped that for the Swiss government, the principle of neutrality was not just about “nice words”.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Switzerland has followed the European Union sanctions against Moscow and has regularly condemned the conflict and the alleged violations of international humanitarian law which have emerged.
Cassis, who last week said the images of the “atrocities” in Bucha were “shocking”, nevertheless urged a measured response and an international court proceeding to “create clarity” and determine who the perpetrators were.
Contacted by the Keystone-SDA news agency on Tuesday, the Swiss foreign ministry declined to respond to the latest Russian statement.
More
More
Switzerland listed as ‘unfriendly’ country by Russia
This content was published on
Moscow published the list on Monday after being hit by Western financial sanctions. All corporate deals with companies and individuals from the so-called “unfriendly countries” now have to be approved by a government commission, according to Reuters. The list follows a presidential decree on March 5 allowing the Russian government, companies and citizens to temporarily…
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
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.