ZURICH (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th June, 2023) The Swiss National Council, the lower house of the country's parliament, voted Thursday against providing Ukraine with a 5 billion Swiss franc ($5.5 billion) aid package for humanitarian assistance, civilian protection and mine clearance, saying various issues related to the country's reconstruction need clarification.
"The National Council is currently opposed to providing Ukraine with the 5 billion franc aid program. On Thursday it rejected the proposal of the Foreign Affairs Committee to grant the aid package for a period of five to 10 years. The proposal has been withdrawn," the statement, published by the Swiss parliament, read.
The funds were earmarked for humanitarian aid, protection of civilians, mine clearance and "peace consolidation," the document said.
Meanwhile, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a parliamentary session that the country would continue to help rebuild Ukraine, but that it was necessary to clarify various issues related to the country's reconstruction and international cooperation in this area.
The Council of States, the upper house of parliament, will discuss a similar proposal to send Ukraine a 5 billion franc package on June 12, the document added.
Western countries have been supplying Ukraine with progressively heavier sorts of weapons since the start of hostilities with Russia in February 2022. In May, Switzerland's permanent representative to the United Nations, Pascale Baeriswyl, said the re-export of Swiss weapons to Ukraine was impossible without a change in the law.
Switzerland has repeatedly rejected requests from Germany, Spain, and Denmark to re-export Swiss-made ammunition to Kiev, citing the nation's principle of military neutrality. According to Switzerland's authorities, Bern can refuse to re-export military materials if the country to which they are destined is involved in an international armed conflict.
