The Ukraine war triggered a different kind of turning point in Switzerland than in the rest of Europe, that much is clear after around 17 months of war. Anger at the transfer of ammunition to Ukraine, criticism of the allegedly lax implementation of sanctions, the constant need to declare oneself because of neutrality: Switzerland’s western partner countries have always been more responsive to Bern than they are at the moment. Now shows the most recent operation in the state-owned armaments factory Ruag once again how bizarre the situation in Switzerland is in the midst of the European reality of war: Brigitte Beck, the head of Ruag MRO who only took office last September, is leaving the company.
Ruag MRO is the internally oriented part of Ruag Holding, the company mainly provides services for the Swiss Ministry of Defence. The outward-facing part, Ruag International, is primarily active in the aerospace sector. As Ruag MRO boss, Brigitte Beck was one of the most important women in the Swiss armaments industry. But in contrast to Germany, where someone like Armin Papperger, the head of tank builder Rheinmetall, has advanced from outsider to hero of the hour, in Switzerland the Ruag boss is being sacked.
Beck’s departure was not voluntary
It is remarkably clear that the departure was not entirely voluntary in the company’s press release. It is true that Brigitte Beck decided to leave RUAG MRO herself. But her decision was made “against the background of two public appearances by the CEO in spring 2023 and the resulting controversy,” the statement said.
On the one hand, what is meant is an interview that Beck gave to the newspapers of the CH Media Group and which, according to the publisher, is said to have contained criticism of the neutrality policy of the Swiss government. In the process of approving the interview, Beck then largely rewrote the text. When CH Media announced its intention to publish the original version, Ruag MRO apparently threatened legal action. The interview did not appear in the end but a text about the dispute.
The second appearance was a panel discussion in May, on which Beck expressed himself with astonishing clarity on the dispute over arms deliveries. There she called on Germany and Spain to “supply the stuff to Ukraine” – that is, those armaments made in Switzerland that the countries would like to pass on to Kiev and had therefore asked Switzerland for permission, but every time a no from Bern received. “What would we do? Nothing,” Beck said from that podium.
Many Swiss think like Beck
Even if surveys show that many Swiss people think like Brigitte Beck and wish their government would interpret the country’s neutrality less strictly: the fact that the head of a state-owned armaments company publicly called on other countries to ignore their own government’s vote caused concern for a sensation.
And a third conflict is likely to have triggered Beck’s departure. RUAG has almost 100 Leopard 1 battle tanks. The vehicles are not operational and are currently being stored in Italy. The armaments company led by Brigitte Beck would have liked to sell these tanks to Germany’s Rheinmetall, where they would have been repaired and then delivered to Ukraine. Ruag has repeatedly asked the Swiss government for permission for the dealfor which Germany and the Netherlands had campaigned.
But the Swiss government stuck to its usual stance: No Swiss war equipment may go to a warring party, as is required by neutrality and the War Material Act. It was probably the decisive defeat for Ruag boss Beck, who not only drew international attention to Bern’s controversial Ukraine course not only with her public statements, but also with the initiation of this deal.