I'm not saying it's a recent development, I know it has been Switzerland's stance for a long time, it doesn't make it any less cowardly, Imo. I believe that Switzerland wants to have its cake and eat it. They want to please both sides no matter what happens because they want both sides to invest into Switzerland, I believe their neutrality is less about morality and more about self-interest.
I find it a bit of a joke that a country can also claim to be neutral and all peace loving whilst at the same time selling weapons of death and destruction to countries all across the world, I don't believe Switzerland is that naïve to believe that their arms won't eventually end up into a conflict zone or that if this was a NATO country being attacked, NATO wouldn't be rushing in and killing Russians with Swiss arms.
Weapons are for defence, until they aren't. Does Switzerland honestly believe we're buying these weapons from them under the assumption that we will never have to use them? What difference does it make whether we send them to Ukraine to kill Russians or whether NATO was attacked and we use them to kill Russians, the end result is the same, dead Russians by Swiss arms.
If Switzerland was truly a neutral country concerned about peace then they should stop all arms manufacturing in their country completely (aside from their own army), they shouldn't sell arms to anyone or allow manufacturing for other countries in their own country, no matter who it is, but they of course wouldn't do that because of money. Switzerland can pretend it has a moral high-ground with its neutrality stance but all it's doing is looking the other way as someone commits genocide and playing both sides so that ultimately Switzerland wins no matter what.
Switzerland may not win this time though as countries realise that we can't rely on Switzerland as a military partner anymore. I also don't really see the difference in Rheinmetall buying Swiss tanks, other countries buying those tanks off Rheinmetall which enables them to then send more of their existing stock to Ukraine, is that not Switzerland indirectly helping to send military aid to Ukraine? I see it as them "helping" to enable the possibility of a country sending further weaponry aid to Ukraine.
Switzerland could help save Ukrainian lives against an aggressor who is undeniably in the wrong, they choose not to, it's as simple as that.
Also just because something has been the case for hundreds of years, doesn't make it right.
I'd just add as well that I would understand reluctance from countries bordering Russia or with few allies surrounding them, but Switzerland is literally surrounded by some of the most powerful countries on Earth, they have nothing to fear so they can't use that excuse either. They don't even have to directly send the arms! I'd accept them simply just allowing the re-export of weapons even if they don't send them directly themselves.
Last edited by Ryuu96 - on 27 September 2023
