US EditionArmy chief says Switzerland can't defend itself from full-scale attack
Lieutenant-General Thomas Suessli warns Switzerland must increase defense budget and modernize forces amid major readiness gaps and rising Russian threats.
- On Dec 27 in Zurich, Lieutenant-General Thomas Suessli said Switzerland cannot defend itself against a full-scale attack and must boost military spending, as he stated, `'What we cannot do is defend against threats from a distance or even a full-scale attack on our country.'`
- He blamed Switzerland's distance from recent conflicts and lack of war experience, saying neutrality falsely offers protection while public attitudes remain unchanged despite the war in Ukraine and Russia's risks.
- The Swiss Armed Forces face major equipment gaps as only a third of Swiss soldiers are fully equipped, and Switzerland is modernising artillery and ground systems while buying Lockheed Martin F-35As.
- Switzerland has pledged to raise defence spending to about 1% of GDP by around 2032, but at that pace the military would only be fully ready by around 2050, and `That is too long given the threat`, Suessli said.
- Recent months have seen drones allegedly linked to Russia violate Polish and Romanian airspace and disrupt sites, and Poland deployed 10,000 troops to protect critical infrastructure.
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39 Articles
Switzerland cannot defend itself against large-scale attacks and must increase military spending given the growing risks from Russia, the country's army chief Thomas Susli said.
Susli said the army is facing a major equipment shortage.
Switzerland would not be able to defend itself against a major attack, the head of the Swiss Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Thomas Süssli, told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper on Saturday. The threat from Russia makes it necessary for Switzerland to increase its defense spending. He warned that relying on the country's neutral status may not be worth it if it is not backed by the ability to defend itself.
Switzerland is unable to defend itself in the event of a full-scale attack and must increase military spending due to growing threats from Russia, the head of the Swiss armed forces said.
The reference to the Russian threat is also basic in neutral Switzerland.
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