Switzerland Denies Sending Leopard Tanks to Ukraine

Switzerland’s Federal Council has blocked arms maker Ruag AG from selling 96 Leopard 1A5 tanks for use by the Ukrainians.

The government said in a statement today that the request is “inconsistent with applicable law,” noting that Switzerland is a neutral country which can’t approve sales of arms bound for an active conflict zone.

The tanks in question are currently stationed in Italy, and were undergo repairs in Germany before being sent to Ukraine.

In March, Switzerland said it will continue to deny export license to third countries which wish to export Swiss-manufactured arms to Ukraine citing its policy of neutrality. It said it received re-export requests for Swiss arms from Germany, Denmark and Spain in the last 12 months.

Even with its strict rules, it cannot be said that Swiss weapons have not ended up in the wrong hands. Country-made hand grenades sold to the U.A.E. were purportedly used in the Syrian civil war, Swiss munitions sold to Qatar ended up in Libya and in 2008 Pilatus PC-9 turboprop-trainers were said to likely have been armed in Chad.