Switzerland rejects sale of almost 100 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine

The Swiss government has rejected Ruag AG’s request for permission to sell 96 Leopard 1 A5 tanks, which, after modernization in Germany, were to be transferred to Ukraine, according to the press service of the Swiss Federal Council, Report informs referring to RBC-Ukraine.

“The Federal Council came to the conclusion that the sale of 96 tanks is impossible due to the provisions of the current legislation. In particular, such a sale would be contrary to the law on military equipment and would mean a change in the Swiss policy of neutrality,” the government said.

These tanks are now stored in Italy in a non-operational state. They were planned to be transported to Germany for modernization, and then transferred to Ukraine as military aid.