Switzerland rejects Spanish request for arms re-export to Ukraine
Switzerland has rejected Spain’s request for the re-export of Swiss war materiel to Ukraine, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) told news agency Keystone-SDA on Friday.
It justified the decision on grounds of Switzerland’s neutrality and its law on war materiel, aimed at preventing Swiss arms from ending up in conflict zones. It gave the same reason for refusing similar previous requests from Germany and Denmark.
Spain submitted the request to SECO on January 16 for delivery of two 35 mm anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine. SECO said at the time that it was probably not possible to approve the Spanish request but that it would examine the request and respond officially.
Traditionally neutral Switzerland has faced criticism from Germany and Spain over blocking shipments of Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine. It also came under international pressure on the same issue at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month.
However, there is growing pressure in the Swiss parliament to revise or waive the ban on the re-export of war materiel to Ukraine.
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