Bern may lift the ban on arms re-exports, as it has affected relations with some countries
Russian aggression against Ukraine may cause Switzerland to revise its neutrality policy, which it has maintained since 1515. This was reported by Politico with reference to the report of the expert working group on the country's security, UNN reports.
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“Following Russia's attack on Ukraine, neutrality has once again become a subject of political debate both at home and abroad. The pressure on Switzerland to clarify its position is growing,” the document says.
Diplomats, high-ranking officials and the military worked on the report. The recommendations will form the basis of the Swiss security strategy for 2025.
The authors of the report recommend lifting the ban on arms re-exports, as Bern currently prohibits the sale of weapons to countries at war. As a result, arms exports fell by 27% last year to less than 746 million euros.
The current neutrality has also affected Switzerland's relations with other states that would like to send weapons with Swiss components to Ukraine but are unable to do so.
At the same time, experts are not suggesting that Switzerland should completely abandon its neutrality and join NATO, but they are calling for deeper ties with the Alliance and the European Union for joint training and defense against ballistic missiles.
The authors of the report also called for reaching a level of military spending of 1% of GDP by 2030. Currently, Switzerland spends 0.76% of GDP on defense, far less than any NATO member except Iceland.
The article says that although it is unlikely that Switzerland will be attacked, the report shows that the country is already the target of hybrid warfare, including disinformation, espionage, and cyberattacks. Experts recommend moving toward “global defense,” meaning preparing the entire society, not just the military.