{"id":63140,"date":"2023-01-17T19:48:51","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T19:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2023\/01\/17\/world-leaders-should-press-switzerland-on-arms-deliveries-to-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:47:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:47:05","slug":"world-leaders-should-press-switzerland-on-arms-deliveries-to-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/commentary\/2023\/01\/17\/world-leaders-should-press-switzerland-on-arms-deliveries-to-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"World leaders should press Switzerland on arms deliveries to Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As government officials and business leaders from around the world flock to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum\u2019s annual meeting this week, Ukrainian soldiers continue to fight and die to protect their homes \u2014 and the rest of Europe \u2014 from Russian aggression. Yet, Switzerland is blocking vital assistance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite repeated pleas, Switzerland won\u2019t allow Germany to give Ukraine much-needed Swiss-made air defense ammunition that can help protect Ukrainians from the Russian onslaught<\/a>. As they descend on Davos, U.S. and allied officials should take this opportunity to press Switzerland to change course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berlin has provided Kyiv with Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns<\/a> that have proved effective against the drones and cruise missiles Russia uses to bombard Ukraine\u2019s electrical grid and other critical infrastructure. Gepards also proved useful in protecting Ukrainian ground troops during their counteroffensive<\/a> in the Kharkiv oblast last September. Berlin intends to provide Kyiv with seven more Gepards<\/a>, which could allow Ukraine to defend more critical infrastructure sites or deploy more of them to the front lines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But these additional systems will be useless if Ukraine lacks sufficient ammunition to operate them. Kyiv is already running low, and could run out soon. The Germany company Rheinmetall is building a new facility<\/a> that can produce the 35mm rounds fired by the Gepard, but it won\u2019t begin production until June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its Gepards out of action, Ukrainians would be more vulnerable to Russian attacks and would be forced to expend much more expensive surface-to-air missiles<\/a>, some of which are already in short supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that Switzerland can help. The bad news is that Bern refuses to do so, citing its commitment to military neutrality. Switzerland, where much of the existing ammunition for the Gepard was made, has repeatedly rejected<\/a> German requests for permission to send Kyiv Swiss-made ammunition exported to Germany decades ago. Switzerland has also blocked other weapon transfers to Ukraine from Spain<\/a> and Denmark<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t