"Violation of their laws": Switzerland explained the refusal of re -export of weapons to Ukraine

According to President Berse, the country "cannot be asked to violate its own laws" that do not allow the supply of weapons to the belligerent states. On Tuesday, April 18, discussing the possibility of re -export of Swiss weapons to Ukraine, Switzerland President Allen Berce said that it could not be discussed now. It happened at a joint press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Olaf Scholts, CNN writes. "The country cannot be forced to violate its own laws," said Switzerland.

He noted that, despite the discussion on changing the position on weapons re -export to Ukraine, it cannot be discussed at this time, since the Swiss law "clearly speaks". Switzerland has been a neutral country since 1815, and its legislation guarantees that it will not send directly or indirectly weapons to warring countries. Ever since Russia has launched a war with Ukraine, Berne has undergone increasing pressure from European countries that demand to allow re -export of weapons to Ukraine.

However, Switzerland has already violated its neutral status shortly after the start of the war, supporting the EU anti -Russian sanctions in the spring of 2022. According to Berce, Berne is serious about restrictions and does everything possible to ensure their observance. We will remind, on April 18, the chairman of the Committee of the Bundestag on Foreign Affairs Michael Roth criticized the neutral position of Switzerland on a full -scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine.

The representative of the German Parliament on the eve of Presidential's visit, Allen Berce, called him to decide what side in the war with Ukraine would take "freedom -loving" Switzerland. On March 6, the Swiss Supreme Chamber of Parliament rejected the proposal to abolish the ban on weapons re -export to Ukraine. Germany, Spain, and Denmark were asked for re -export prohibition imposed in connection with the policy of Switzerland's neutrality.