icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
14 Jan, 2025 10:46

EU brings Switzerland into ‘Military Schengen’

The alpine nation, which has been neutral since 1815, represents “substantial added value” to the bloc’s defense organization, Brussels has said
EU brings Switzerland into ‘Military Schengen’

The Council of Europe has announced that it has approved the participation of Switzerland in the EU’s Military Mobility project.

Launched in 2017 as part of the bloc’s Permanent Structured Cooperation in Defense (PESCO) program, the initiative is designed to simplify the movement of military personnel and weapons throughout Western Europe.

The Netherlands, coordinator of PESCO, can now invite Switzerland to join, the council said in a statement on Monday. Berne will receive formal member status after completing an administrative agreement, the statement read. 

The participation of Switzerland, which has been neutral since 1815, will “bring substantial added value,” the Council of Europe statement claimed.

Switzerland applied for PESCO in September last year and will become the fifth non-EU state – after Canada, Norway, the US, and UK – to join.

The initiative is often called “Military Schengen” in reference to the borderless travel zone which includes 29 European countries, mostly EU members.

Last week, the conservative Swiss People’s Party (SVP) demanded the resignation of Defense Minister Viola Amherd over what it said is the country’s gradual drift towards NATO. Switzerland’s “sovereignty is in danger and has already been partially abandoned,” the SVP argued.

Amherd, who has advocated closer ties with the US-led military bloc, became the first Swiss defense minister to attend NATO’s North Atlantic Council in 2023.

Last year, she called for restrictions to be lifted on the re-export of Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine during the fighting with Russia. However, the ban remains in place.

Swiss authorities have also supported EU sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. Russia has reacted by saying it can no longer consider Switzerland neutral, and has placed it on the list of “unfriendly nations.”

Dear readers! Thank you for your vibrant engagement with our content and for sharing your points of view. Please note that we have switched to a new commenting system. To leave comments, you will need to register. We are working on some adjustments so if you have questions or suggestions feel free to send them to feedback@rttv.ru. Please check our commenting policy
Podcasts
0:00
27:36
0:00
24:31