The country of William Tell is approaching NATO and the EU under the threat of Putin – Revealing article from Politico
“Switzerland does not wish to be involved in wars, but it likes to make money. The conflict between these values – as well as concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a threat to all of Europe – is pushing the country to reconsider its defense doctrine.” This is stated by Politico in its publication today (30/8) regarding the position of William Tell’s country regarding the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The well-known American media outlet proceeds with an extensive analysis of this reasoning, noting: In a bombshell report published on Thursday, a group of experts recommends that the government of the country, which has been neutral since 1515, work towards a “joint defense capability” with the EU and NATO.
“Since the Russian attack on Ukraine began, neutrality has once again become a subject of political discussion, both domestically and internationally. The pressure on Switzerland to clarify its position is increasing,” the report notes, which calls for a “review” of its neutrality policy.
One of the many factors is how Switzerland’s neutrality has affected arms sales. Another is how to better defend a country that is surrounded by two blocks to which it does not belong (i.e. Ukraine).
The potential upheaval of the policy is yet another sign of how Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is changing the security landscape of Europe. The unprovoked attack led Sweden and Finland to abandon their neutrality and join NATO.
The experts who prepared the report – including diplomats, senior officials, a former head of the Swiss army, and Wolfgang Ischinger, former chairman of the Munich Security Conference – delivered their findings to Swiss Defense and Security Minister Viola Amherd, who is also the president of the Swiss Confederation for 2024. The recommendations will affect Switzerland’s security strategy for 2025.
Arms Exports
Swiss arms exports fell by 27% last year to less than 700 million Swiss francs (746 million euros) compared to 2022 – due to both strict arms export regulations and the termination of air defense purchases by Qatar related to hosting the 2022 World Cup.
Bern prohibits the sale of arms to countries in a state of war, and this has had a significant impact on relations with other countries wanting to send weapons to Ukraine that may include Swiss components. “The re-export ban needs to be lifted,” the report urges authorities.
Switzerland has blocked the delivery of arms and ammunition to Ukraine from several European countries. It took months of pressure for Switzerland to agree to send surplus Leopard tanks to Germany to replace those sent to Ukraine. Its refusal to allow the shipment of Swiss-made ammunition to Germany’s stocks for dispatch to Ukraine has helped the German arms industry Rheinmetall increase ammunition production in Germany.
The experts also want to bolster the Swiss arms industry by enhancing offset policies and gaining access to EU and NATO procurement programs.
“Explosive” Proposals
The report was controversial even before its publication, as opposition parties accused Amherd of appointing mainly “pro-NATO and EU advocates” to the expert committee.
It is likely to encounter resistance in the Swiss parliament, especially from the pacifist left parties and the nationalist far-right. Amherd is already under fire for the increasingly close ties of the country with NATO.
“The report makes it clear that Switzerland is a Western country, and therefore supports Western values,” said Jean-Marc Rickli, head of the Geneva Center for Security Policy on global and emerging risks.
However, “calls for increased military cooperation with NATO and the EU are likely to provoke much debate within Switzerland,” he added, agreeing with assessments that the report is potentially “explosive” internally.
The experts do not propose that Switzerland completely abolish its neutrality and join NATO, but rather urge for deeper ties with the military alliance and the EU for joint training, missile defense, and bilateral and multilateral exercises.
The report also calls for military spending to reach 1% of GDP by 2030. Switzerland currently spends just 0.76% of its GDP on defense – much less than any NATO member except Iceland, which does not have an army.
Although an invasion of Switzerland is unlikely, the country is already a target of hybrid warfare, including disinformation, espionage, and cyber attacks, according to the report. The experts recommend a shift towards “global defense,” which means preparing the entire society – not just the military – for a potential conflict.
Good Friends with the EU and NATO
In recent months, the Swiss Federal Council, which governs the country, has signaled the country’s willingness to tighten ties with both NATO and the EU for security and defense.
On Wednesday, a Swiss delegation traveled to Luxembourg to meet with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). One of the goals of the meeting was to assess potential synergies and opportunities for cooperation with the Organization.
Earlier this month, the Federal Council also approved participation in two of the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects, one on military mobility aimed at facilitating cross-border movement and another on cyber defense.
According to Rickli, Switzerland wants to prove that it “plays its role” in case the neutral country needs military assistance from EU or NATO countries.
“There is an element of Switzerland’s reputation, which is considered potentially a ‘lone ranger’ not cooperating with European states,” he said. “If it wants to benefit from the assistance of its European partners, it needs to give something back.”