Security policy: greater international cooperation called for
As a result of the war in Ukraine, the Federal Council wants to focus Switzerland's security and defense policy more strongly on international cooperation and modernize the armed forces. This emerges from a supplementary report to the Security Policy Report 2021.
According to the Federal Council, Russia's attack on Ukraine has destroyed the rule-based peace order in Europe. A swift analysis of the war and its consequences was therefore in order. The Federal Council has now provided this in the form of an addendum to the Security Policy Report 2021 published.
Essentially, the supplemental report states that the increasing threat of hybrid conflict has been confirmed. This includes, for example, disinformation, influence, cyberattacks, covert attacks, and armed conflict. In general, European forces are again becoming more conditioned to deter and defend against a military attack and to fight a conventional war. The dynamics of security and defense cooperation have increased as a result.
Faster gap closure in military capabilities
The supplementary report concludes that Switzerland must orient its security and defense policy more consistently toward international cooperation. Possibilities mentioned include the expansion of security and defense policy cooperation in Europe with NATO and the EU. While respecting neutrality, the cooperation should serve to strengthen the country's own defense capabilities. In concrete terms, this includes, for example, maneuvers such as individual exercises, an expansion of the military cooperation capability to defense-relevant areas as well as an intensification of the partnership status with NATO or a participation of the armed forces in EU units for rescue and evacuation operations.
The report also looks at the military lessons learned from the war and the consequences for the Army's capability development. In areas such as cyberdefense, mobility, protection against air attacks and indirect fire support, capability planning is on track. It is now necessary to advance Army modernization, capabilities, and means by increasing funding and continuously monitoring lessons learned from the war, he said. Critical capability gaps exist in anti-tank and sustainment, particularly in the under-stocking of ammunition, the report continues. The DDPS therefore intends to procure a long-range ground-to-ground guided weapon and apply for an increase in ammunition and guided weapon stocks with the 2023 armament program.
Source: Federal Council/Editorial Office
