The request from Berlin to break Swiss law is irritating. But after the first defensive reflex, it is now a matter of having the courage to strengthen one’s own position: with more freedom of action in terms of security policy.
The spread of false or disinformation is part of the repertoire of hybrid warfare. This sows the population’s distrust of the authorities, fuels conflicts and deepens existing rifts. Who exactly is behind such a campaign often remains in the dark, as does the specific goal. The ambiguity is part of the concept.
Such actions are unusual among friendly neighbors like Germany and Switzerland, especially since the Russian war against Ukraine should bring the two countries closer together. But in the German and Swiss media there is currently a strange polemic about 12,400 rounds for the anti-aircraft tank Gepard.
Switzerland cannot allow Germany to pass on this Swiss-made 35mm ammunition. The request of the Social Democratic Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht from Berlin to come back to the first no does not help either. The Federal Council has no legal leeway.
Navel gazing is no longer enough
The pressure is irritating. The German side presents itself as a mere postwoman from Kiev. Lambrecht also justified her appeal by saying that the cheetahs were only protecting the Ukrainian grain deliveries. The German news magazine “Spiegel” knew that before the responsible authorities in Bern.
The German minister’s friendly request to actually break Swiss law is strange. To fabricate a humanitarian commitment out of it, even more.
Of course, the UN has the patronage of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Grains Agreement. But the cheetahs, which are also used to protect ports and silos, are subordinate to the chain of command of the Ukrainian army, i.e. to a war party. It is not an international protection force with a corresponding UN mandate. Whoever condemns the Russian war of aggression should remain precise on such questions.
But despite all the Swiss defensive reflexes: German pressure, from wherever it may be motivated, is forcing Switzerland to think about its own responsibility for security in Europe. Continued navel-gazing is not enough: neither with neutrality nor with the War Material Act.
Reliable supply chains as the basis of cooperation
Switzerland needs freedom of action, it must be able to act in these geopolitically tense times, not just react. In the attack on banking secrecy, Switzerland finally had to vacate its position completely because any resistance to pressure from its most important trading partners was futile.
This should not happen in the further development of the Swiss point of view in a world of great power politics. A mandatory prerequisite for a widely accepted solution is the reliability of Switzerland. This includes not making any compromises when it comes to the rule of law – but also the political courage to tackle uncomfortable things in concrete terms.
The War Material Act weakens Switzerland’s position. The Federal Council needs more powers to be able to assess exports and re-exports according to the situation. It is unworldly, if not self-righteous, to produce weapons but want to prevent their use at all costs.
De-escalation among friends is the order of the day
How is increased cooperation with NATO or other military neighbors supposed to work if the supply chain for Swiss weapons could become a factor of uncertainty? The Danish army bought Piranha IV armored personnel carriers from Kreuzlingen at great expense.
What happens if the attacks on critical infrastructure in the North Sea result in a military attack on Denmark or another NATO country? As the war escalates, the cheetah question could arise on a far greater scale.
Unthinkable, not an issue! is the wrong answer. Switzerland must take the warning shots seriously. Exactly what lies behind this lies in the fog that the war has cast over international relations. Either way, de-escalation among friends would be the order of the day.