Swiss veto German request to re-export ammunition to Ukraine – paper
ZURICH (Reuters) – Impartial Switzerland has held up German arms deliveries to Ukraine by blocking the re-export of Swiss-made ammunition utilized in Marder infantry combating autos that Kyiv wish to get, Swiss paper SonntagsZeitung reported.
The information comes as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces rising criticism for his authorities’s failure to ship heavy weapons to Ukraine to assist it fend off Russian assaults, whilst different Western allies step up shipments.
The Marder, made by German arms producer Rheinmetall, makes use of ammunition manufactured in Switzerland, the paper stated. Switzerland restricts the re-export of such battle materiel to battle zones.
The paper quoted a spokesperson for the Swiss State Secretariat for Financial Affairs (SECO) as saying it had acquired two inquiries from Germany about transferring to Ukraine munitions it had acquired from Switzerland.
“Each of Germany’s requests had been answered within the detrimental with regards to Swiss neutrality and the obligatory rejection standards of the battle materials laws,” it quoted the spokesperson as saying.
SECO was not instantly out there for touch upon Sunday exterior of standard enterprise hours.
Switzerland has departed with previous observe and adopted European Union sanctions designed to punish Russian for invading Ukraine, however has stated its neutrality doesn’t allow offering arms in battle zones.
Final month it rejected Poland’s request for arms to assist neighbouring Ukraine.
(Reporting by Michael Shields; Modifying by Raissa Kasolowsky)
