What an irony that our Swiss government struggles to do the right thing and sanction Russia.
In light of the blatant violation of international law, the unprovoked war by Russia already led to war crimes and unimaginable suffering. And yet, our government still hesitates. Excuses about Neutrality and good services to be offered to Russia and Ukraine.
Don’t they realize what they do?
The Swiss Neutrality is no God given concept or right. Neither has it developed out of our own democratic process. Before 1815 there was no such thing as Neutrality by nowadays standards. Berne, for example, was a middle-sized power that made its weight felt.
The turning point came at the Vienna Congress in 1814/15 post the downfall of Napoleon. The Swiss were still bickering how to organize the place post Napoleon. And the great powers of that time wanted to make sure that the strategically important country in the heart of Europe did not fall to anyone of the parties. Plus they wanted to stop the Swiss mercenaries creating havoc ever again.
In other words: Neutrality was imposed on Switzerland.
What some quarters today have elevated to an Axiom on about the same level as Gravity, was in fact a concept foreign to us and forced on us.
Any parallels with nowadays Ukraine are just coincidental … not!
It the light of what happened to this country 200 years ago we would do good to reflect and support Ukraine in its strive for a self-determined sovereignty.
In the face of evil Neutrality is not an option.
Addendum: Days later the Swiss government followed the European Union and enacted a comprehensive sanction package. And missed the opportunity again: Being a massive trading hub for Russian oil and gas one could have gone and should have gone further to stop evil.
