Switzerland bans the sale of shells to Poland over Ukraine transfer
Photo: Switzerland banned the sale of shells by a Polish company (Getty Images)
Switzerland has banned the sale of ammunition from a Polish company after shells made in Switzerland were transferred to Ukraine, reports The Associated Press.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs announced that it would ban exports for the Polish company, as "the risk of diversion to Ukraine is assessed as being too high."
Switzerland launched an investigation following a report by the American outlet Defence One in November 2023. It was revealed that a Ukrainian company had received 645,000 shells from the Swiss company SwissP Defense, which were transferred by the Polish importer UMO.
The Swiss manufacturer and the Polish company had signed an agreement stating that the shells could only be resold within Poland. The investigation revealed that the Polish company had failed to meet its contractual obligations, resulting in the ammunition being sent to Ukraine.
It is important to note that Switzerland adheres to a policy of neutrality and does not supply weapons to Ukraine. Additionally, Switzerland prohibits third countries from transferring its arms to warring parties.
However, there are ongoing efforts in Switzerland to lift the ban on re-exporting weapons to Ukraine. Earlier, President Viola Amherd made a proposal to this effect.
