Ukraine peace conference brings Switzerland closer to the West

This is the view of both Swiss who favor closer cooperation with Western powers and those who believe Switzerland should maintain its traditional neutrality.

Switzerland has not invited Russia to the Ukraine peace summit taking place on June 15-16 in a lakeside resort near the central city of Lucerne. Switzerland agreed to host the conference in January at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to Western diplomats and Swiss foreign policy experts, the summit is poised to be more about defending Ukraine than building bridges to immediate peace.

Protest against the Russia-Ukraine conflict in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Reuters

The Swiss foreign ministry said Switzerland's neutrality was "unchanged" and would not be affected by the conference. "But neutrality does not mean indifference," it added. "Outside the military sphere, neutrality does not prevent Switzerland from standing in solidarity with and supporting Ukraine and its people."

Switzerland's business and security interests are closely linked to Western Europe, North America and their allies, so it is strategically imperative that Switzerland stands with Ukraine, said Thomas Borer, a former Swiss ambassador to Germany.

“Neither Russia nor its Western allies regard Switzerland as neutral,” he said. About two-thirds of Swiss exports go to North America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. Less than 1% goes to Russia.

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two other historically neutral European countries, Sweden and Finland, have joined NATO. Swiss lawmaker Franziska Roth said helping Ukraine recover from the conflict should take precedence over neutrality.

However, neutrality is deeply ingrained in the Swiss psyche. A study published in March by the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich found that 91% of Swiss felt the country should remain neutral, although 26% supported Switzerland taking a “clear stance” in favor of one side in foreign military conflicts. A majority supported Switzerland moving closer to NATO.

The right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), the largest group in the Swiss lower house, argues that neutrality is essential to Switzerland's prosperity. Support for Ukraine would undermine that.

SVP politician Christoph Blocher criticized the peace summit this month, saying that not inviting Russia would not be good for Switzerland.

The Kremlin described Switzerland as "openly hostile" and unsuitable for mediating peace-building efforts, especially given the EU sanctions against Moscow.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hoi-nghi-hoa-binh-ukraine-dua-thuy-si-den-gan-voi-phuong-tay-post295054.html