Swiss Confederation President Viola Amherd, at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, announced Switzerland’s plan to allocate 1.5 billion francs (approximately $1.75 billion) for the reconstruction of Ukraine from 2025 to 2028, Interfax-Ukraine reported.
Adhering to its policy of neutrality, Switzerland does not provide military support to Ukraine; however, it does offer various forms of humanitarian assistance, including demining efforts and assistance in the identification of missing persons.
“Switzerland places a major focus on reconstruction… The political compass for this reconstruction follows the principles laid down at the Lugano conference. In support of Ukraine, Switzerland has planned to allocate 1.5 billion francs from 2025 to 2028 as part of our strategy for international cooperation,” Amherd said.
Additionally, Amherd and Zelenskyy discussed issues related to humanitarian demining in Ukraine and food security, which is affected by Russia’s ongoing sea blockade of Ukraine’s ports.
President Amherd emphasized the global implications of reduced agricultural output from a major exporting country like Ukraine. “If a large exporter country like Ukraine harvests less food, it will have major negative consequences. In this light, we discussed the efforts of the UN aimed at facilitating the unhindered export of food products and fertilizers from Ukraine through the Black Sea,” added President Amherd.
She stressed that Russia’s decision not to continue the grain initiative poses a threat to global food security.
Note: While the original interview was conducted in English, it was published in Ukrainian. The quotes have been translated back into English, which may introduce some errors or inconsistencies.
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