The small country of Moldova – located between Romania and Ukraine – was virtually the center of Europe today, Thursday. The heads of state and government of almost all European countries met there for the second summit of the European Political Community. Only Russia and Belarus were not invited. The summit was a show of solidarity towards Ukraine and the host country Moldova.
In principle, however, the European Political Community should above all improve cooperation between the EU and other European states. President Alain Berset was there for Switzerland. In an interview with SRF News, he explains why such meetings are necessary at all – and what he talked about with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
SRF News: What was the most important result of the summit for you?
Alain Berset: First of all, that we all met and made a strong commitment to work together. It is no coincidence that the summit took place in Chisinau. The war in Ukraine is a huge challenge for us on the continent. Being here and demonstrating unity is very important.
They were able to meet the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in person at the summit. Did he also ask you about Switzerland’s positions, for example on the sanctions against Russia or the re-export of war material and ammunition?
You can be sure that we will discuss all of this transparently. The conversation was very interesting. I noticed that what Switzerland does is very well known in Ukraine. Namely that we have positioned ourselves clearly and have taken on all the sanctions against Russia. It is also registered that we have a strong presence in the country with humanitarian aid, we take in refugees and that the first conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine took place in Lugano.
We also talked about the war situation. In Ukraine, it is known that the Bundesrat supports exporting some elements to Germany (the Bundesrat is ready to decommission 25 Leopard tanks for sale back to Germany, ed.).
Beyond the EU, there are other European forums, such as the Council of Europe or the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in which Switzerland is a member. Why is the Summit of the European Political Community still important for you?
We are not a member of the EU, not in the EEA and not in NATO either. We need international, multilateral and regional meetings in Europe. It is very important for Switzerland to be present in these forums. The meeting of the Council of Europe two weeks ago in Reykjavik, Iceland, was also very important in this regard.
For years during the pandemic, we only kept in touch via telephone or video conferences. At some point the personal relationship threatens to be lost.
The new format of the European Political Community, which goes back to a proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron, has already proven itself. It just needs physical meetings. For years during the pandemic, we only kept in touch via telephone or video conferences. At some point the personal relationship threatens to be lost. Meetings in a more informal setting are also very important for agreeing positions and working together.
The relationship between Switzerland and the EU is currently strained. Were you also able to use the summit for personal talks on this topic?
I haven’t spoken that much with European leaders about it. It wasn’t the main topic of the summit. However, I took the opportunity to discuss this with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Finally, Spain will take over the EU Council Presidency on July 1st. I know Sánchez quite well and it was a good opportunity for an exchange. He was very open to Switzerland’s position. But it is clear to everyone that we still have a lot of work to do in order to reach our goal.
Apparently, a summit meeting of the European Political Community could take place in Switzerland the year after next. Can you officially confirm that?
We’ll see. When we participate in such forums, we also want to play a role. I can well imagine holding such a summit. At the same time, this involves a great deal of organizational effort. There are many participants in such meetings, hundreds of journalists are accredited. It takes good preparation. But there is no doubt that Switzerland can do this. We will certainly discuss this in the near future.
The conversation was led by Matthias Kündig.