¶ Erosion Since 2022 -- Ukraine Sanctions
Summary: The adoption of EU sanctions against Russia on 28 February 2022 marked a paradigm shift in Swiss neutrality policy. For the first time, Switzerland adopted comprehensive economic sanctions against a belligerent state. The debate on war materiel re-export and the Lavrov quote further intensified the discussion. The assessment remains controversial: was it a necessary act of solidarity with international law or a break with the neutrality tradition?
¶ 1. The Decision of 28 February 2022
Four days after the Russian attack on Ukraine, the Federal Council decided on 28 February 2022 to adopt the EU sanctions against Russia [1]. This comprised:
- Freezing of assets of sanctioned Russian individuals and entities
- Entry bans against listed persons
- Trade restrictions on certain goods and technologies
- Financial sanctions against Russian banks
As of March 2025, Russian assets totalling CHF 7.4 billion were frozen -- an increase of CHF 1.6 billion compared to April 2024 [2].
¶ 2. Russia's Reaction
The adoption of sanctions had direct consequences for the Switzerland-Russia relationship:
- Russia classified Switzerland as an "unfriendly country".
- In April 2024, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Switzerland in an interview as an "openly hostile country" [3].
- Russia declared Switzerland unsuitable for mediation in the Ukraine conflict.
On the other hand: Switzerland adopted the sanctions in its capacity as a financial centre with significant Russian assets. SECO emphasises that the measures are consistent with the existing Embargo Act [1].
¶ 3. The War Materiel Debate
The neutrality debate was further fuelled by the question of war materiel re-export [4]:
- Requests rejected: Denmark, Germany and Spain sought permission to re-export Swiss-purchased weapons to Ukraine. The Federal Council refused.
- Parliamentary debate: The National Council's Security Policy Committee (SPC) sought to relax the re-export ban. Parliament rejected this by a majority in June 2023.
- Cooperative neutrality: Foreign Minister Cassis proposed a concept of "cooperative neutrality" in the Neutrality Report, envisaging more flexible re-export rules. The Federal Council rejected the proposal in September 2022.
¶ 4. The Neutrality Report 2022
On 26 October 2022, the Federal Council adopted the Neutrality Report [5]:
- The neutrality policy since the 1993 report retains its validity.
- The adoption of sanctions is compatible with neutrality policy.
- According to the Federal Council, economic sanctions do not fall under the law of neutrality as they do not constitute military participation.
¶ 5. Assessment: Paradigm Shift or Continuity?
The assessment is controversial among experts and the population [6]:
| Pro (Solidarity) | Contra (Breach of Neutrality) |
|---|---|
| Switzerland condemns unlawful war of aggression | Paradigm shift in neutrality policy |
| Sanctions are not military participation | Loss of mediator role (Lavrov quote) |
| Contribution to the international order | Risk of instrumentalisation |
| 65% of the population supported sanctions (2022) | Neutral states should treat both sides equally |
| Customary international law requires cooperation in serious violations | Initiative committee: "Sanctions make Switzerland a conflict party" |
¶ References
[1] SECO (2022). FAQ Sanctions against Russia.
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. [Open Access]
[2] cash.ch (2025). Frozen assets of sanctioned Russians in Switzerland have increased.
cash.ch. [Open Access]
[3] swissinfo.ch (2024). Russian Foreign Minister calls Switzerland "openly hostile".
SWI swissinfo.ch. [Open Access]
[4] SRF (2023). U-turn on arms exports -- war materiel debate.
Swiss Radio and Television. [Open Access]
[5] swissinfo.ch (2022). Neutrality Report 2022 (full text, PDF).
Federal Council, 26 October 2022. [Open Access]
[6] Annee Politique Suisse (2022). Switzerland adopts EU sanctions against Russia.
Annee Politique Suisse. [Open Access]
Last updated: March 2026