Planned delivery for Ukraine: Switzerland prohibits the transfer of ammunition

Germany is not allowed to pass on Swiss-made ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank to Ukraine. For the second time, the government in Bern rejected the request. She referred to the law of neutrality.

Switzerland has blocked the transfer of tank ammunition from Germany to Ukraine for the second time. Bern could not agree to such a shipment of Swiss-made war material if the recipient country was involved in an international conflict, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin wrote to German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht. “Switzerland applies the law of neutrality in relations between Russia and Ukraine,” said a statement from the Federal Department of Economics, Education and Research (EAER).

Berlin had previously asked Bern about the approximately 12,400 cartridges of Swiss origin for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank for Ukraine. At the beginning of June, Parmelin formally rejected the export for the first time with reference to Swiss neutrality.

Lambrecht refers to the protection of critical infrastructure

Lambrecht then recently wrote a letter to Switzerland again, as a spokesman said on Monday. According to media reports, the minister asked her Swiss colleague Viola Amherd for permission to re-export the 35-millimeter ammunition for the cheetah. According to “Spiegel”, Lambrecht referred to the protection of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. She also referred to the protection of ports in the south of the country, which are crucial for exporting grain.

The cheetah was the first heavy weapon system that Germany had promised to Ukraine. By September, all 30 promised anti-aircraft tanks were delivered to Ukraine. The problem, however, was the ammunition from the start. Initially, only around 60,000 shots were available, which was often criticized as insufficient due to the high rate of fire of the anti-aircraft guns. According to “Spiegel”, Lambrecht reported in her most recent letter to Switzerland that there was an urgent “lack of ammunition” because of the intensive use of the cheetah against Russian drones and cruise missiles.