Swiss Parliament rejects $5.5 billion humanitarian aid proposal for Ukraine

In a surprising twist, the Swiss National Council (the lower house of parliament) recently voted against two identical proposals that would have allocated an additional 4.8 billion Swiss francs ($5.5 billion) in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The outcome of this vote, which sent ripples through political circles, was revealed on the official parliament website, per Caliber.Az.

The results of the vote were clear: 111 members of parliament voted against the proposals, 73 voted in favour, and four abstained. The proposals were championed by members of the Social Democrats and Green Liberals, who argued that the additional funds should come from Switzerland's humanitarian aid pool, already designated for assistance to various countries in need. The requests were for a substantial sum — 4.8 billion Swiss francs, equivalent to $5.5 billion — to assist Ukraine amid its ongoing crisis.

However, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council pointed out that the Swiss government had already made significant contributions to Ukraine. They referenced a loan of 1.5 billion Swiss francs ($1.7 billion) provided to Ukraine as part of a broader initiative aimed at supporting less developed countries until 2028. From their perspective, this commitment rendered the new proposals unnecessary.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis weighed in, noting that these proposals had originally been introduced to parliament two years ago. Since then, Swiss authorities have already allocated significant financial assistance to Kyiv, making the new proposals seem somewhat redundant in light of the ongoing support.

On April 10, 2024, the Federal Council made another important decision — to extend financial support to Ukraine to the tune of 5 billion Swiss francs ($5.55 billion) through 2036.

Government sources reported that Switzerland has already provided around 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.3 billion) in aid for Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts and other measures benefiting Ukrainian citizens. The State Secretariat for Migration has also contributed by allocating around 2.5 billion Swiss francs (approximately $2.8 billion) for the reception and support of Ukrainian refugees.

While the vote may have blocked additional funds, Switzerland remains a steadfast supporter of Ukraine, continuing to offer substantial assistance as the conflict rages on.

By Tamilla Hasanova