BERN (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Switzerland on Thursday to allow the re-export of war materiel to Ukraine, saying the move would be vital in combating the Russian invasion.
“I know there is a discussion in Switzerland about the exportation of war material to protect and defend Ukraine. That would be vital,” Zelenskiy said. “We need weapons so we can restore peace in Ukraine.”
Switzerland has a long-standing policy of barring any country that buys Swiss arms from re-exporting them to the parties in a conflict. The country also imposed a specific Swiss embargo on munitions going to either Russia or Ukraine in November last year.
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Emma Farge in Geneva, Denis Balibouse in Bern; Editing by Miranda Murray)
