Russian ambassador rejects possibility of Swiss mediation in talks with Ukraine

Switzerland cannot act as a mediator in the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict due to its anti-Russian policy. The Russian ambassador to Bern, Sergey Garmonin, said this on 8 February.

The diplomat recalled that Switzerland initially took a pro-Ukrainian position, adopted all the packages of anti-Russian sanctions of the European Union (EU) and froze Russian state assets.

"What neutrality can we even talk about here? <...> We see no room for Switzerland's 'good offices' under such a foreign policy course of Bern," Garmonin told TASS.

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Before that, on December 26, the head of the press service of the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Nicolas Bidot, said that Switzerland allows a meeting between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump to be held on its territory. It was specified that the Russian Federation is unlikely to suit Bern as a platform for negotiations, given the country's anti-Russian foreign policy.

After, on February 6, the Swiss government's federal department of economics, education and research said that Bern would independently decide whether to join further EU sanctions packages against Russia.

Western countries increased sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of the special operation to protect civilians in Donbass, which was announced on February 24, 2022.