Switzerland allows Leopard sales to Germany but bans their re-export to Ukraine
The Swiss federal government has authorized Ruag MRO Holding to sell 71 Leopard 1 A5 battle tanks to Germany. At the same time, Switzerland has banned their re-export to Ukraine.
This is reported by Swissinfo, Censor.NET informs.
It is noted that the tanks are currently in Italy, which bought them in 2016. In total, the Ruag defense company owns 96 such vehicles.
In 2023, the Swiss government refused to authorize the sale due to concerns that the tanks could be transferred to Ukraine, which is in a full-scale war. This is because, according to Swiss law, arms sales to countries at war are prohibited.
After Ruag applied to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs for an export license, the government officially stated that such a license was not required in this case.
According to media reports, Germany is one of the countries that can sell military materials without additional authorization. However, the Swiss government has banned the re-export of tanks to Ukraine. These restrictions are dictated by the principle of neutrality that Switzerland adheres to in its foreign policy.
