Neutral Switzerland will send tanks back to Germany to restore supplies

Bern agreed to sell 25 Leopard 2 tanks to Germany. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP

Neutral Switzerland said it would sell it back. some of its Leopard 2 tanks are German-made to help rebuild stocks depleted by aid to Ukraine.

In February, Germany asked Switzerland to sell some of the 96 Leopard 2 tanks it had in storage to a manufacturer Rheinmetall AG. .

In order to comply with Swiss neutrality laws, Berlin assured Bern that the weapons would not go to Kiev, but would remain in Germany or with a NATO ally or the European Union.

“We are very pleased and are grateful for this decision,” Michel Flugger, the German ambassador to Switzerland, told Swiss television. “We need these tanks, they will fill the gaps between us and our European partners.”

He made the announcement after the Swiss parliament on Tuesday approved the retirement of 25 Leopard 2 tanks, paving the way for their retirement. resold to Germany.

Swiss public opinion is divided on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine, and the country's blocking of re-exports has angered some countries.

Requests from Germany, Denmark and Spain to allow the supply of Swiss weapons they had previously purchased to Ukraine were blocked by Bern, citing Swiss neutrality, which does not allow weapons to be sent directly or indirectly to war participants.

This happened after the Bulgarian parliament approved the decision to send Soviet-era air defense missiles to Ukraine, which contradicted his policy of not sending weapons to the war-torn country.

The move, paving the way for the delivery of aging S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Kiev, came after the Telegraph newspaper reported that its Western allies had decided to make air defense a priority for future military donations.

< p>According to Admiral Emil Evtimov, Bulgaria's defense chief, said the missiles to be sent to Ukraine were believed to be more than 30 years old and faulty.

Some of the missiles were dangerous to store because they had failed operational tests, he said , but Kiev will be able to use them as spare parts to maintain the functionality of its air defense.

“These are faulty missiles that… Bulgaria cannot repair, but they can be used for Ukrainian air defense,” said Hristo Gadzhev, chairman of the parliamentary defense committee.

Bulgaria will send obsolete S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. Photo: Bulgarian Air Force

The controversy over Bulgaria's donation has caused deep divisions given the situation in the country. historical and cultural ties with Moscow.

Sofia has large stockpiles of Soviet-era weapons that are used by Ukraine but have long been discontinued.

But Bulgaria is still unwilling to donate weapons and ammunition.

In July, Bulgaria announced , which will send 100 armored personnel carriers. The first sign that it will turn around is its decision not to send weapons.

Prior to this announcement, it mainly supplied body armor and helmets to Kiev.

Although strengthening Ukraine's air defense against expected Russian ones winter attacks is a top priority for Ukraine's allies, the Netherlands signaled on Wednesday that it would not be able to deliver the first F- Until next year, it will send 16 fighters to Kiev.

Kaisa Ollongren, the country's defense minister, said that the Ukrainian pilots, crews and technicians will need to be trained to fly the planes before the first planes arrive.

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“These things take time,” she said. “I think the most important thing is the signal that we send not only to Kyiv, but also to Moscow and the Kremlin. That is: We are here.”