Bern rejects Germany’s request to hand over Swiss munitions to Ukraine

 
INA-sources
 
The weekly Sonntax Zeitung reported that Germany intended to send Swiss munitions to war-torn Ukraine, and Berlin asked Bern if it could do so.
 
On Sunday, the Federal Ministry of Economics confirmed to the Swiss press agency that it had rejected Germany’s request. Under Swiss law, such an extradition is legally impossible, as arms exports to countries involved in intense and prolonged internal or international conflicts are prohibited.
 
The ministry also indicated that Switzerland requires in principle a permit in which countries undertake not to export military equipment they receive from Switzerland without their prior consent. This is a common measure among arms exporting countries to maintain some level of control over sensitive materials.
 
According to the magazine “Sontax Zeitung”, voices are rising in Germany, whose adviser Olaf Scholz is accused of being too timid to support Ukraine, to criticize Switzerland, which will bear the joint responsibility for not being able to deliver the vehicles Marder armored vehicles to Ukraine. . The magazine reported that these armored vehicles carry Swiss ammunition.
 
 
With regard to what the magazine says about the fact that Swiss ammunition on armored vehicles from Great Britain, for example, still arrives in Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy clarified that it was necessary to make a distinction between the export of military equipment that has been finalized to countries and the use of separate parts from private companies. In the second case, it is not necessary to present a declaration of non-re-export of the equipment.
 
According to the German newspaper “Welt am Sonntag”, it is expected that the German Chancellor will announce in the coming days her decisions regarding the sale by the German arms group “Rheinmetall” of around 100 of these vehicles.
 
The German federal government declined to comment on this information.
 
The Swiss Ministry of Economy explained that the situation is different with regard to the delivery by Great Britain to Ukraine of anti-tank weapons of the modern generation, including Swiss parts.
 
The ministry confirmed that the decision to export these anti-tank weapons and the Swiss units that make up these weapons, rests exclusively with the British authorities.
 
Source: News Agencies