“Hello, this is Russia.”
After the green “no” to the re-export of war material on Tuesday in the Security Policy Committee of the National Council, the chairman of the Swiss Greens, Balthasar Glättli, received a call from RIA Novosty. RIA Novosty is a pro-Kremlin Russian news agency.
The Russian medium wanted to know why the Greens – like the SVP incidentally – had voted against a motion and a parliamentary initiative calling for the re-export of Swiss military equipment to Ukraine.
“We are pacifists”
Balthasar Glättli forwarded the call to a fellow party member: Fabien Fivaz from Neuchâtel, a member of the National Council’s security committee.
Fivaz certainly said to the journalist of the Russian medium what he also explained to Watson:
As for the war, we have no doubt that Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine the attacked.
We want Vladimir Putin to be tried in an international court for war crimes, and we want the Russian assets of Russian oligarchs in Switzerland to be seriously prosecuted – which is currently not the case.
After all, we are, and this is in our DNA, pacifists.
In this respect, Switzerland’s neutrality seems to us to be an opportunity. Perhaps it can resume dialogue between the warring factions. However, we would weaken our voice if we accepted the war by supplying weapons, even indirectly, to Ukraine.”
Division in the Greens
However, the Greens have not yet finally resolved the issue of military aid to Ukraine. It will be discussed again at the delegates’ meeting next Saturday.
Can you expect a surprise? In Germany, the Greens have made a 180-degree turn: shortly before the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, they spoke out against German arms sales to Ukraine if Moscow attacked the country. Meanwhile, they changed their minds and had Chancellor Scholz hand over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
And so Natalie Imboden, Bernese National Councilor for the Greens, plans on Saturday to defend an amendment calling for an exemption from the non-export of military goods for Ukraine. Imboden thus represents a position that is probably in the minority within her party – but you never know.
There is no denying that Switzerland should do more to confiscate Russian assets on its territory. But in this case, we believe that the aggression against Ukraine justifies an exception.
This is about solidarity with a battered population defending itself against an aggressor who violates international law. And much more than neutrality.
However, it is certainly not the Swiss weapons that will decide the war.”
Greens and SVP: An unholy alliance
For once, the Greens and the SVP agreed and oppose the majority of the FDP, SP and Centrum, who are against the indirect supply of Swiss weapons to Ukraine.
In this context, Fivaz humorously speaks of an “unholy alliance”. Then he gets serious again: the SVP stands for armed neutrality, the Greens for a Switzerland without an army. Bernese SVP National Councilor Eric Hess summarizes the SVP position to Watson: “Either you deliver it to both belligerents or none.”
The Valais SVP man Jean-Luc Addor, member of the Security Policy Committee of the National Council, is of the same opinion. Was he also called by the Russian agency RIA Novosty? He replies with amusement:
The exception at the FDP
On Tuesday, Jacqueline de Quattro, member of Vaud’s national parliament for security policy, was the only member of her party to vote against lifting the ban on re-exporting military equipment to Ukraine:
I may be in the minority in my party on this point. I do not care.
I am generally against the proliferation of weapons. And I stay true to my values. Switzerland can help Ukraine in other ways.”
(Translated from French by Yam.)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
