Swiss Parliament wants to allow indirect armament supplies to Ukraine

The Committee for Security Policy of the National Council of Switzerland (lower chamber of the Parliament) has approved the propositions which will allow indirect armament exports to Ukraine.

According to Blick, the proposition to adopt the changes to the Swiss Law on armament export which will allow indirect supplies of weapons to Ukraine was supported by 10 members of the Parliamentary Committee, 10 more were against it, 4 more abstained.

The vote of Priska Seiler Graf, a representative of the Social-Democratic Party, was decisive. She stated at the press-conference that the majority of the committee members wanted to introduce changes to the current law which hinders the re-export of armament to Ukraine.

A corresponding draft law will be submitted for consideration by the National Council of Switzerland but it is unknown whether there will be enough votes to adopt it. Moreover, the Upper Chamber – the Council of States – must approve it as well.

In case the law is adopted, such countries as Germany, Denmark and Spain will be allowed to supply Ukraine with Swiss weapons in the future.

Due to its neutrality and corresponding laws Switzerland does not send weapons to Ukraine directly, and the initiatives which could change this are being blocked.