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Ukraine war
OpinionLetters

Letters | Russia sanctions end Switzerland’s long history of political neutrality

  • Readers discuss Switzerland moving away from its tradition of neutrality, how Ukraine can secure its independence and Western demands on China

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A familiy from Ukraine registers at the reception centre for refugees in Zurich, Switzerland, on March 15. According to figures released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 2.9 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia began its military invasion on February 24. Photo: EPA-EFE
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The first major victim of the war in Ukraine is actually a country whose tradition of political neutrality goes back centuries and which remained neutral even during the two world wars. By following the European Union and others in imposing sanctions on Russia, even though it is not a member of the EU, Switzerland has abandoned its long-held neutrality.

The politically savvy Swiss must have meticulously calculated all the risks. Neutrality, like English common law, is governed by precedents. Once a precedent is made, it is irrevocable and there can be no selective neutrality. We can safely argue that Switzerland from now on is no longer a neutral country.

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Of course, there are privileges attached to neutrality. Swiss banks have thrived on them. But now, even if the Ukraine war ends with a satisfactory outcome, it is unlikely wealthy Russians and super-rich Chinese will continue to put more money in Swiss banks.

Imagine a Davos forum without participants from Russia and China. What about the international organisations based in Geneva, Zurich and Basel? Their physical presence might remain for a while, but the feeling is gone.

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Without neutrality, what is the future role for the Swiss in Europe? More than seven decades after World War II and 30 years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Switzerland is no longer the frontier of East-West European confrontation. It will gradually be subject to the gravitational force of European integration.

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