Re-export of weapons for Ukraine's defense: Zelensky addresses Swiss parliament

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his video address to the Swiss parliament, where a discussion is currently underway regarding permits for the re-export of weapons for Ukraine's defense, according to the website of the head of state.

Video: Office of the President of Ukraine

"I know that you are having a discussion about permits to re-export weapons to protect Ukraine. And I want every participant in the discussion to remember one fact: we are asking the world for weapons to make our Ukrainian territory a territory of peace again. All our land, all our people... Only for this! Exactly as envisaged by international law," he said.

According to him, our peace can withstand such Russian aggression only by force of arms. "I thank the world for every piece of weaponry that helps save people from Russian terror," Zelensky said.

He also emphasized the importance of maximum unity of the entire civilized world against Russian evil.

"Now, as we defend the lives of our people from Russian strikes and overcome the consequences of the terrible crimes of this war, including the largest ecocide in Europe, we need maximum unity. The unity of all those who share with us the key values - the value of life, the value of freedom, the value of law and the value of respect for every nation, every community and every person. […] The soul of the values that unite us is peace. Peace! Ukraine has never been the source of any wars of aggression. And even now, although it sounds somewhat paradoxical, the Ukrainian land is a territory of peace, because the source of this war, the source and cause of aggression, is outside our borders," he said.

Now, according to Zelensky, Ukraine is defending itself against aggression that replicates the worst wars of the past and seeks the best technologies of our time to terrorize people, states, and even continents. Therefore, he said, nothing but unity can stop this. "Our unity, Switzerland!" he said.

Switzerland continues to maintain neutrality, does not provide weapons and does not allow the re-export of Swiss-made weapons from other countries.

At the same time, on June 7, the upper house of the Swiss parliament approved an initiative that would allow other states to re-export Swiss-made weapons to countries participating in armed conflicts under certain conditions.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba thanked Switzerland for such a step in unblocking the re-export of Swiss-made weapons.

Before that, on June 2, the lower house of the Swiss parliament rejected a bill known as "Lex Ukraine," which would allow third countries to transfer Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine. However, following the decision by the upper house, this issue will have to be considered again.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine