Swiss against joining NATO but in favour of closer cooperation
Local residents stand on a destroyed Russian tank in the outskirts of Kyiv on Monday
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Most Swiss want to see closer cooperation with intergovernmental defence alliance NATO, according to a representative survey. However, they do not want to become a member.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Português
pt
Suíços contra a adesão à OTAN, mas a favor de uma cooperação mais estreita
Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 35% of respondents supported closer cooperation with NATO, while 21% were “somewhat” in favour, SonntagsBlickrevealed on SundayExternal link. But only 19% were definitely in favour of joining the alliance and another 14% were probably in favour of doing so.
Almost half (47%) of respondents thought the principle of Swiss neutrality was not violated by the adoption of EU sanctions against Russia. A further 11% tended to agree with this opinion.
More
More
‘Swiss neutrality is one of the foundations of our partnership with NATO’
This content was published on
With the backdrop of the Ukraine war, Swiss ambassador to NATO Philippe Brandt explains the importance of Switzerland’s partnership with the alliance.
In addition, 61% of respondents were in favour of Switzerland becoming more involved in Ukraine. However, 66% rejected delivering arms. On the other hand, 62% were in favour of Switzerland sending helmets and protective vests to Ukraine.
The representative survey of 20,000 participants was conducted by the research institute Sotomo together with the Blick Group between April 12 and 14.
Since 1953 Switzerland has participated in military peacekeeping activities which are now conducted under the leadership of NATO, the EU and the UN. It has been a member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) since 1975.
In 1996 Switzerland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme, and in 2019 it became a member of NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). In 2012 Switzerland and the European Defence Agency (EDA) signed a Framework for Cooperation in the field of armaments cooperation and military training.
Switzerland is currently assessing whether to participate in individual PESCO projects. PESCO is the Permanent Structured Cooperation of EU member states which want to be engaged in the Common Security and Defence Policy. PESCO is also termed a “Military Schengen” as it is inspired by the EU’s Schengen Area with the aim to create a European army. According to the Swiss Army, Switzerland’s plan to participate is still at early stages.
More
More
Will Switzerland ever join NATO?
This content was published on
The war in Ukraine has reignited the debate in neutral countries about joining NATO. We spoke to a security expert.
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?
Money laundering and paedophile crime increase in Switzerland
This content was published on
The number of suspected cases of money laundering, reports of threats against officers and cases of paedophile crime increased last year, in some cases sharply.
Toblerone invests in Bern and puts new emphasis on Swiss cross
This content was published on
Since US multinational Mondelēz relocated part of Toblerone production to Slovakia in 2023, the company is no longer allowed to call its chocolate “Swiss made”.
Switzerland and 35 other members declare support for WTO
This content was published on
Switzerland and 35 other members have recommitted themselves to honouring the rules of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO).
This content was published on
The majority of Swiss respondents painted a negative picture of US President Donald Trump, according to a survey. Women were even more critical of him than men.
Controversial Russian soprano Anna Netrebko returns to Zurich
This content was published on
Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, who is said to be close to Russian president Vladimir Putin, to perform at the Zurich Opera House.
This content was published on
Multiple births following artificial insemination in Switzerland have fallen sharply over the last 20 years, shrinking from 17.4% in 2002 to 2.8% in 2023.
This content was published on
Countries such as Sweden, Taiwan, and Switzerland are recalibrating their neutrality. What’s the future of non-interference?
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.