Zelensky’s visit comes at a bad time: the unwanted guest from Kiev

In December, Cassis trembled over his re-election as a federal councilor, or at least that was the reality portrayed by friends and foes alike. So he had to make a political bet – a week before the elections, on December 7, the Tamedia newspapers reported on a pompous project of the head of the EDA: “6 billion francs – a mega package for the reconstruction of Ukraine.”

The headline was also noticed in Kiev. Three days later, Zelensky announced during a trip via X that he would soon come to Switzerland for peace talks. For the ailing FDP magistrate, this was confirmation of a valuable coup: under his responsibility, Switzerland and its good offices policy were back in the front row on the international stage – just three days before election day! As is known, it ended with a happy ending for Cassis; despite disruptive maneuvers from the left, the Ticino native was confirmed in office.

The timing couldn’t be worse

However, things did not go so well for Zelensky. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the world has turned its back on the tragedy, and not a single franc has flowed from the six billion in reconstruction aid promised by his ‘friend’ Ignazio Cassis – because his plan was a success. Federal Council has postponed the matter. The SP representatives expressed their concern that the regular budget for international cooperation (IZA) could suffer as a result. And the citizens – according to information from Blick, especially Cassis’ party colleague, Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (60) – are said to have expressed another fear: how can one announce an aid package for Ukraine and at the same time tell the population that the state will receive money need to save?

The initiative for the 13th AHV pension also hangs like a sword of Damocles over the heads of bourgeois budget politicians. At least the unions’ request is doing well in surveys – for Keller-Sutter, a yes vote at the ballot box would be a fiasco. She has already threatened to raise taxes. In short: Zelensky’s visit comes at the wrong time, the timing could not be worse, Cassis will have to receive his famous visitor empty-handed.

The Ukrainian conference in Davos on the topic of Zelensky’s ‘Peace Formula’ and the Swiss support for mine clearance are only consolation for the guest from the East – a president at war does not travel the world on diplomatic duties. He needs money and weapons.

Demonstrative pleasantries at the World Economic Forum

Ignazio Cassis, on the other hand, made everyone nervous with his advance in Federal Bern. Be that as it may, the message on international cooperation for the period 2025 to 2028 is out, the consultations have ended – and the parties are discussing the importance of aid to Ukraine. Behind the scenes, NGOs are already actively lobbying against the idea of ​​transferring too much of the regular money pot – twelve billion in four years – to Kiev.

Hope remains that tangible, measurable results will emerge from the Ukrainian’s marathon conversation.

However, observers are skeptical about this. Because as long as Russia is not at the negotiating table, peace will remain a utopia and the daily killings will continue.

After all, the week of the World Economic Forum started with demonstrative pleasantries. Yesterday the agencies reported: “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated new Swiss President Viola Amherd on her presidency and thanked her for Swiss support to Ukraine.”