GENEVA, Jun 29 Russia has never threatened Switzerland and, on the contrary, played a paramount role in ensuring its neutrality, rapprochement with NATO would damage relations, Russian Ambassador to Berne Sergei Garmonin told the Swiss newspaper Temps.
“I would remind you that Russia has never threatened the Confederation. On the contrary, our country played a decisive role in the formation of the Swiss state and following the results of the Vienna Congress of 1815, Russia, along with other great powers, became the guarantor of its eternal neutrality … And today the Swiss should not have there are no fears about the intentions of our country. But the Confederation's rapprochement with NATO, to which some external and internal forces are pushing it, will clearly not benefit our relations,» he told reporters.
Garmonin added that the outstanding Russian diplomat and the first Russian envoy to the Confederation, Ioann Kapodistrias, even participated in the drafting of the country's constitution.
«Our dialogue (with the Swiss Foreign Ministry — ed.) has not been interrupted, although for obvious reasons and not on our initiative, its level has somewhat decreased. We appreciate the professionalism of Swiss colleagues from the DFAE (Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs — ed.) and other ministries and departments and maintain with they maintain constant contact on issues of mutual interest both in Bern and in Moscow,» the diplomat stressed.
Switzerland has joined almost all European sanctions against the Russian Federation since February 24, 2022. Bern blocked $8.1 billion worth of Russian assets as part of the sanctions. The Swiss bank Credit Suisse (CS) blocked or froze more than a third of Russian assets registered in Switzerland — 17.6 billion francs (over $19.7 billion).
Switzerland's foreign policy report 2022 stated that Switzerland intends to strengthen cooperation with NATO in the field of security policy. The Swiss military will take part in ten exercises outside its territory in 2023, all involving NATO countries. It was also said that Switzerland would review its relationship with Russia in 2023 in the next foreign policy strategy.
In May, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN Pascal Christine Beriswil stated that the re-export of Swiss weapons to Ukraine is impossible without changing the legislation. Previously, Switzerland, referring to the principle of military neutrality, rejected requests from Germany, Spain and Denmark to re-export ammunition produced in the confederation to Ukraine. As the authorities stressed, Switzerland can refuse to re-export military materials if the country for which they are intended is involved in an international armed conflict.
Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Ivan Nechaev said earlier that Switzerland had lost its neutral status. Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN in Geneva Gennady Gatilov also noted that the position of Switzerland on Ukraine had a negative impact on the international role of Bern. The diplomat pointed out that since the beginning of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, Switzerland has actually abandoned its status as a neutral country in order to side with Kyiv and its sponsors from NATO.