Switzerland's Federal Council has granted a new exemption to its arms embargo to allow the use of Swiss demining equipment in Ukraine in some cases, APA reports citing CNN.
"The Federal Council decided on a new provision with regard to the arms embargo. Switzerland can now grant exemptions from the arms embargo on demining equipment for use in Ukraine on a case-by-case basis," the council said in a statement Wednesday.
"In issuing the export license, steps will be taken to ensure that the material is used lawfully and for its intended purpose."
Switzerland, though not a member of the European Union, will also implement the EU's ninth round of sanctions against Russia, including the sanctioning of around 200 additional individuals and entities, the government said Wednesday.
Swiss stance: Switzerland has blocked the requests of several European countries, including Germany and Denmark to re-export Swiss-made ammunition to Ukraine, arguing the moves would violate the country's long-held neutrality.
However on Tuesday, a key Swiss parliamentary committee recommended waiving a law that bans the re-export of Swiss-made armaments in cases where at least two-thirds of the United Nations General Assembly determines there has been an illegal use of force.
Parliament's Security Policy Committee, which proposed the amendment, argued it would still "respect the law of neutrality" because it would not allow the direct export of war material to conflict zones.
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