Geneva, (EFE).- The Swiss Government confirmed today, under its neutrality policy, that it will not allow Spain to transfer two Swiss-made anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine, after receiving this request from the Spanish authorities on 16 from January.
In a statement sent to Efe, the federal Ministry of Economy, in charge of processing this request that concerned 35mm cannons, confirmed the rejection, since Swiss law does not allow the re-export of their arms products to countries that are at war.
Switzerland had previously denied similar re-export requests to Denmark and Germany, which last year had also requested to transfer Swiss weapons to Ukraine to help it in its response to the Russian invasion.
Specifically, Switzerland rejected two German requests to re-export Swiss ammunition to Ukraine for Gepard battle tanks, and a Danish request to supply around twenty Piranha III battle tanks.
The Swiss War Materiel Law prohibits the trade in weapons produced in the Central European country with countries involved in an international armed conflict, so every acquisition includes a clause that obliges the purchasing country to request permission from Switzerland in the event of an attempt to re-export .
The Swiss refusal to collaborate with the shipment of defensive weapons to Ukraine has opened a debate in the country, and the ministry itself recalled in its statement that the national Parliament is analyzing possible “adjustments” in its arms re-export policy, although it stressed that as part of the Government remains on the margins of said debate.
Despite its traditional policy of neutrality, Switzerland is aligned with the European Union’s economic and financial sanctions against Russia, which is why it is part of the list of countries considered “hostile” by Moscow since the start of the war.
