Switzerland rejects initiative to re-export its weapons to Ukraine

The National Council (the large house of parliament) of Switzerland has rejected an initiative to re-export its weapons to countries involved in military conflicts, including Ukraine.

Some 135 deputies of the council voted against the corresponding proposal of the Council of Cantons (small chamber of parliament). Only 48 MPs supported this initiative, TASS reports with reference to the Swiss Telegraphic Agency.

As the agency explains, the initiative was aimed at generally regulating the re-export of Swiss arms. It was envisioned that purchasing countries would still have to sign a declaration prohibiting re-exports, but for countries that share Swiss values and have a comparable export control regime, this would be limited to five years.

The draft initiative also envisioned the possibility of supplying military equipment to a country involved in a conflict if it thus exercised the right of self-defence under public international law.

The Swiss Telegraphic Agency reported on September 26 that the National Council (large chamber of parliament) and the Council of Cantons (small chamber) of the confederation had approved the sale of 25 Leopard 2 tanks to their manufacturer, the German concern Rheinmetall.

Berlin explained that they needed to replace the equipment previously supplied to Ukraine by NATO and EU countries and assured that these vehicles would not be handed over to Kyiv.