Switzerland, despite its centuries-long neutrality, has announced its intention to join the European Sky Shield agreement. This agreement was initiated last year after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Source. This was reported by the BBC.
The agreement now involves 17 countries, it is designed primarily to coordinate the purchase of missiles and air defense weapons.
In Switzerland, there are many opponents of this initiative, including the right-wing People's Party, who believe that the European Sky Shield blurs the country's traditional neutrality and turns it into a potential target.
Similar criticism is voiced in Austria, another neutral country that is also discussing joining the agreement.
Background. Earlier, it was reported that Switzerland rejected a request to sell 96 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine, as the country seeks to maintain its "neutrality" status.