Switzerland rejected Ruag SA’s bid to sell 96 Leopard 1 A5 tanks to Ukraine via FRG
Switzerland has rejected Ruag SA’s bid to sell 96 Leopard-1 A5 tanks to Ukraine via Germany, the country’s Federal Council said on its website.
“(The Federal Council. – Ed. note) has put the neutrality aspects of Switzerland’s policy, as well as the reliability of the rule of law, at the top of its agenda,” the document said.
The office called the request incompatible with the country’s current legislation.
“Such a sale, in particular, would contravene the law on military property and would lead to a change in Switzerland’s neutrality policy,” the statement added.
The council clarified that the application concerned 96 unexploited Leopard 1 A5 battle tanks deployed in Italy, which were to be repaired in Germany, after which they were planned to be re-exported to Ukraine.
In May, Swiss permanent representative to the UN Pascal Christine Baeriswyl said that it was impossible to re-export the weapons produced in the country to Ukraine without changing legislation. Bern, citing the principle of military neutrality, has repeatedly rejected requests by Germany, Spain and Denmark to re-export to Ukraine ammunition produced in the confederation.
As emphasized by the authorities, Switzerland can refuse to re-export military material if the country for which it is intended is involved in an international armed conflict.
Due to censorship and blocking of all media and alternative views, stay tuned to our Telegram channel