Germany urges Switzerland to sell Leopard 2 tanks

Germany wants Switzerland to sell some of the tanks to their original producer, Rheinmetall, which would allow the company to support gaps created in the European Union and NATO members.

Germany, Poland, Portugal, Finland and Sweden are among the countries sending Leopard tanks to help Ukraine defend against the Russian occupation, creating gaps in their arsenals.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Economy Minister Robert Habeck informed Swiss Defence Minister Violet Amherd of the project through a letter sent on February 23rd.

German politicians asked their Swiss counterpart to reconcile with the sale, with the guarantee that Swiss tanks would not be transferred to Ukraine.

There would be no further transfer of tanks to Ukraine”, a Swiss Defence Ministry official told Reuters.

Under its neutrality laws and a special arms embargo, Switzerland is barred from sending weapons directly to Ukraine.

Swiss Defence Minister Violet Amherd responded through a letter on March 1st that a possible sale of part of the Swiss tanks fleet would require that the Swiss Parliament officially declare that tanks are out of service.

“Dictions on this issue are currently under way in Parliament”, the ministry official added.

The Swiss Army currently has 134 Leopard 2 tanks in service and a 96 stored. The government did not disclose the number of tanks Germany has asked to buy, but the Swiss official said such a thing could be done with a limited number of tanks.

No information was given that when the Swiss Parliament could decide on the issue, though the government said it would further comment on the issue Monday, March 5th.

Switzerland has previously blocked the demands of Germany, Spain and Denmark to allow re-exporting of ammunition produced in Switzerland, Ukraine.

But the issue is becoming increasingly divisive in Switzerland, where Ukraine seems to have broad public and political support, causing pressure to increase on the government to end the ban on Swiss arms exports to war zones.

Calls from European neighbours for Switzerland to allow such transfers to Kiev have been added, and the two Parliament security committees have recommended that the rules be eased.