In view of the war in Ukraine, the SVP and FDP in particular are demanding the upgrading and expansion of the Swiss army. Specifically, the defense should receive two billion francs more. The funds would come to seven billion Swiss francs per year. The SP waves it off and puts it into perspective. Co-President Mattea Meyer finds the timing of the debate shameful and cannot understand the demands.
SRF: Mattea Meyer, be honest: two or three weeks ago, would you have remotely believed that Russia could invade Ukraine?
Mattea Meyer: No. And I guess I’m not the only one. I could never have imagined that. Unfortunately, the nightmare has become a reality for millions of Ukrainians.
For many, this nightmare now means that the security situation in Europe has changed completely. And that’s why more money is needed for defense.
I can understand that as a first reaction, out of fear. But I find it very dangerous when we get into an armament spiral that ultimately ends fatally. This war did not break out because too little was invested in war material in recent years. The NATO countries have upgraded, Russia has upgraded, and Switzerland has also invested more and more money in recent years.
But in Switzerland the army is much smaller than it was a few years ago. We have fewer fighter planes, fewer tanks, fewer personnel.
Switzerland invests five billion francs in the army every year. But you know what I find really embarrassing? This war broke out five days ago, and right now the right are trying to start a domestic debate about rearmament. I find that disgusting. What has to be the focus now: How can we help these people in Ukraine? Children who have to say goodbye to their fathers and don’t know if they will see them again. That’s the reality. This raises the question of what can we as Switzerland do? We can take in refugees immediately and unbureaucratically. And we can offer good services, that’s Switzerland’s role.
There is no denying that all of this is important. But it’s not just the right-wingers who are reacting now. The SPD in Germany, which you praised half a year ago as a new model for social democracy, has pledged an additional 100 billion francs for defense.
Again: I can understand that as a first reaction. But let’s see what the scenarios would be for Switzerland. The F-35 is an aircraft designed for aggressive warfare. shall we attack? No. The scenario that Russian tanks are on the Rhine is out of the question. Then the Russian tanks would have had to cross various NATO countries, and then we would have had a nuclear war long ago anyway, and the F-35s or the tanks on the border would not be of any use either.
You are now sketching scenarios that we consider impossible. But three weeks ago, as you said yourself, we also considered Russia’s attack on Ukraine impossible. We have now learned that nothing is actually impossible anymore.
Of course it’s a shock. The Federal Council also wrote in its security policy report that such wars of aggression are hardly realistic scenarios. But for Switzerland we have to be realistic. What should Switzerland’s role be? Should it take part in this rearmament competition, or should it be able to play its role as a neutral country? Have a de-escalating effect, offer peace negotiations, be able to mediate.
The question is not: one or the other, but one and the other. So that means: you want to continue to abolish the army, as stated in your party program, and until that happens, massively dismantle and rebuild the Swiss army?
In a party program you draw a dream world. And yes, this is a peaceful world and not a warlike one, I hope this is your dream world too. Our day-to-day political life must consist of working to ensure that there are no nuclear weapons, that disarmament takes place, that democratic structures are strengthened. And I have the greatest respect for the Russians who are now taking to the streets, risking their lives and standing up against Putin’s war.
But is your party program realistic after this attack by Russia?
Again: We don’t want military world domination. After the Second World War, it was a principle that we did not want military world domination, but global peace.
So you don’t want more money to fight cyber attacks either?
We as SP have never defended against countering cyber-attacks, nor against surface-to-air defenses. These are scenarios that are more realistic than the idea that Putin’s tanks are on the Rhine.
Urs Leuthard conducted the interview.