President of Switzerland Supported Lifting the Ban on Re-Exporting Weapons to Ukraine.

President of Switzerland Viola Amherd stated that she supports revising the ban that currently does not allow re-exporting Swiss weapons from other countries to Ukraine.

She noted that this embargo harms the industry's and her country's security, informs Reuters.

Calls for Switzerland to step away from the centuries-old traditions of a neutral state are growing both domestically and abroad following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country's parliament has already recommended loosening the rules on armaments, although last year the government refused to change its longstanding policy.

"Personally, I believe we need to take a step forward for our industry's sake," said Viola Amherd, who is also the Defense Minister.

"The situation is becoming complex because countries like the Netherlands have decided not to purchase from Switzerland because there is no freedom to re-export, which I understand," she added.

"If we have problems with our defense industry, it means we also have security issues because it's important to have technology and know-how," she said. However, she added that Switzerland, which acts as a mediator in global conflicts, will never supply weapons directly to a country that is at war.

Despite its longstanding neutrality, Switzerland is a major arms supplier, ranking 14th in the world in 2022, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Swiss arms sales have already declined in 2023, and critics blame the country's neutral stance for this.

In a broader context, Amherd stated that Switzerland needs to invest more in security across Europe, and said that the country plans to strengthen ties with partners, including NATO.

"Over the past 30 years, Switzerland has not invested enough in defense, and we need to make up for this," she said.