War in Ukraine tests Swiss neutrality

The war in Ukraine has led Switzerland to impose unprecedented economic sanctions against Russia and to express its willingness to rearm, until now a taboo subject that puts the country’s historical neutrality to the test.

This debate coincides with the aspiration of the Swiss government, for the first time since joining the UN 20 years ago, of having a non-permanent seat on the Security Council, heavily criticized by the conservative UDC (Swiss People’s Party), the largest in the country, which considers it a threat to its “perpetual neutrality”.

The Swiss government, under pressure from its partners, recently decided to align its sanctions against Russia with those of the European Union (EU).

This is a turn in the country’s traditional politics, welcomed by the president of United States, Joe Bidenwho in his State of the Union address noted that “even Switzerland” was imposing sanctions on Russia.

The sanctions angered the CPUwhich defends absolute neutrality, both military and political, and threatened a referendum.

All other parties are in favor of sanctions. “It is a step towards a more active political neutrality”declared the Swiss-American political scientist daniel warner.

the former swiss president Micheline Calmy Reyleader of the supporters of active neutrality, said that the country, although it is militarily neutral, is “free to defend its interests with an appropriate foreign policy and free to adopt sanctions”.

“Schizophrenia”

Switzerland it distinguishes between the right of neutrality –inscribed in the Hague Conventions of October 18, 1907 and which refer to non-participation in international conflicts– and the policy of neutrality, which is not governed by legal norms.

A position that can lead to “schizophrenia”according to Daniel Warner, who gives the example of European sanctions against Moscow. On the one hand, Switzerland applied the same Brussels but at the same time refused to participate in the boycott in the UN to the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov.

The questioning of Swiss neutrality has been a recurring theme since the First World War and many historical examples show that it has often been applied in an ambiguous and variable manner.

“Swiss neutrality is very flexible and is applied according to the economic and financial interests of Switzerland”the historian points out Hans-Ulrich Jost, honorary professor of University of Lausanne.

“During the international boycott of South Africa, Switzerland refused to participate in this process, which allowed it to establish itself as an intermediary in the gold trade”indicates.

Many observers also believe that Switzerland violated its neutrality during World War II by exporting weapons on a large scale to the Axis countries.

The war in Ukraine is also shaking up traditional Swiss defense policy, to the point that some are no longer hesitant to speak of a rapprochement with NATO or to Europe in the military field.

Calls to increase budgets and military equipment have also multiplied, a measure supported by the centrist Thomas SussliArmy Minister.

In an interview with La Tribune de Genève, he stated that “in case of defense, neutrality would be obsolete”. “We could and should then join forces with other states, possibly also with NATO”assured.