Kickback! USA delivers missiles to Ukraine instead of Switzerland – Despite written contracts: The USA does not want to supply Switzerland with Patriot missiles for air defense as agreed. The guided missiles should be delivered to Ukraine as a priority.

https://www.blick.ch/politik/trotz-schriftlicher-vertraege-usa-liefern-patriot-raketen-vorerst-nicht-an-bern-id19855355.html

by BkkGrl

19 comments

  1. > This is a setback for Switzerland’s defense capability: the federal government has ordered additional PAC-3 guided missiles for the Patriot system for 300 million francs. A procurement contract with the USA was signed last autumn. This is intended to further strengthen air defense. But now the war in Ukraine is putting a damper on the Defense Department’s plans, as several sources confirm to Blick.
    >
    > The Americans want to supply Ukraine with more Patriot missiles first. It has been under heavy Russian fire for months and is urgently asking other countries to supply it with more air defense systems.
    >
    > Switzerland will therefore have to wait longer despite valid contracts. How long still seems to be unclear. One thing is clear: global demand currently far exceeds the production capacity of Patriot guided missiles. The USA is expected to officially inform about its decision on Tuesday.
    > Berlin also urged people to wait
    >
    > There has been a long-standing struggle over the delivery of the Patriot guided missiles. In May, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (64) had already suggested that Switzerland stand back from the Patriots – in the form of a kind of ring exchange. The federal government should leave the delivery planned for 2030 to the Germans and only deliver them later. Berlin, which is helping Ukraine with Patriot anti-aircraft missiles, could have filled its own gaps more quickly.
    >
    > The exchange of rings would not be unproblematic for reasons of neutrality. Defense Minister Viola Amherd (62) has only ever confirmed that she was in discussions with her German colleague Pistorius. The Federal President did not want to venture further into the branches – knowing full well that middle-class circles in particular would express concerns.
    > USA asserts unusual or compelling reasons
    >
    > This is not just due to neutrality policy considerations. Security politicians argue that Switzerland needs the Patriot systems itself because it has hardly any medium and long-range means of air defense against missile attacks.
    >
    > Now the USA has taken this decision from the Federal Council. Instead of a possible ring exchange, there is now direct delivery from the USA to Ukraine.
    >
    > According to the agreements with Washington, it should be possible to deviate from the agreed conditions if there are unusual or compelling reasons for doing so and if the national security concerns of the USA are affected. The USA now seems to be claiming this because of the war in Ukraine

  2. Personal note: I was happy to see for once good comments to the article, most of people celebrates the decision and say that UA needs them much more

  3. If it was 1942 I’d say maybe this is a bad decision. It’s not and Switzerland has no immediate, imminent threats nearby so this is awesome.

  4. Neutrality at work.

    Asked to “ring exchanges”, that give Switzerland something, they lament and delay, so now they get nothing and the US just cites “national security reasons”.

  5. It’s fine, Switzerland probably just feels neutral about it anyways.

  6. Nobody is going to invade Switzerland, they don’t need them

  7. Well its not like swizerland is In any great need of missiles.

  9. There is a clause in the contract which was executed allowing this.

  10. Seems like relying on the USA was a mistake for Switzerland

  11. So, the U.S. is arguing that the war in Ukraine affects their national security concerns.

    That‘s interesting.

  12. You can’t trust in anything nowadays, not even in agreements made on the free market. Shit’s fucked, yo.

  13. Great! In the meantime, they can rely on stocked gepard ammo, I suppose. 

  14. I’ve read about this before, and it seems to apply not only to Switzerland but also to other countries that have ordered them.

  15. Can anyone sue European subsidiaries of the companies that produce the Patriot missiles? This sounds illegal and contracts should be enforced.

  16. Honestly, everyone I know is cool with it. They need it and we don’t.

  17. Man, fuck Switzerland. Neutral countries are the worst, just playing both sides and feeling snug and safe between all those Nato countries.

  19. There was a problem with delivery for ammo for the genpart AA gun, because of Switzerland.
    There is only one thing to say, Switzerland open your eyes, today you can’t say, I’m neutral, but I’m making and selling weapons.
    Damn scumbag government.

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