- Germany is still not allowed to deliver Swiss war material to Ukraine.
- This emerges from a statement by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs.
- Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin has responded accordingly to a letter from German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht.
Legend:
Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin rejects Germany.
Keystone / Peter Schneider
The request from Federal Minister Christine Lambrecht relates to around 12,400 cartridges of 35mm ammunition of Swiss origin for the Gepard anti-aircraft vehicle, which Germany would like to pass on to the Ukraine.
legal barriers
As can be seen from the communication, Guy Parmelin repeated the legal situation in the letter to his German counterpart. “In the relationship between Russia and Ukraine, Switzerland applies the law of neutrality, which is part of customary international law,” it says
Due to the principle of equal treatment under neutrality law, Switzerland cannot agree to a request for war material of Swiss origin to be passed on to Ukraine as long as the latter is involved in an international armed conflict.
In addition, the approval criteria of the Swiss War Material Act exclude the delivery of war material to countries involved in an international armed conflict.
“Politically motivated request”
At least that is the reasoning of the Federal Council. Christine Lambrecht’s is different. In her question she writes that Ukraine needs the ammunition to protect its Black Sea ports. Specifically, to protect their grain supplies to developing countries from Russian attacks.
However, it is unclear whether this derivation can be reconciled with Swiss law and neutrality law – especially since it is debatable whether Swiss ammunition is of such great importance in this context.
At the end of October, Swisspeace Director Laurent Goetschel doubted that Ukrainian grain exports depend on Swiss ammunition: “I see this much more as a politically motivated request and also as an attempt to pressure Swiss politicians,” said the head of the Basel Institute for Peace Research to the German request.