Kremlin Takes Interest in Swiss Referendum on Sanctions

The Kremlin has taken an active interest in Switzerland’s Sept. 27 referendum on neutrality, because the vote could determine whether Bern can continue imposing sanctions on aggressor states. The initiative, launched by the far right, seeks a stricter definition of Swiss neutrality. If approved, it would prevent Switzerland from imposing sanctions on other countries.

Russian media and commentators have entered the campaign. The article says Russian “independent commentators” appearing on the German-language RT DE portal have sought to influence the debate. Swiss services exposed what Le Monde described as the “heavy hand of Russian operators,” including through mistakes that revealed they were using standard German rather than its Swiss variant.

The operators reportedly encouraged Switzerland’s far right to adopt tactics associated with Germany’s AfD and Austria’s FPÖ, including more effective social-media promotion aimed at younger voters. Moscow also used more direct persuasion. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova published an article in Neue Zürcher Zeitung accusing Bern of abandoning its political traditions. “From the point of view of the law, ‘flexible neutrality’ means a total lack of neutrality,” she wrote.

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From the point of view of the law, ‘flexible neutrality’ means a total lack of neutrality.

The Russian Embassy also issued a statement expressing concern about human rights in Switzerland. It said that by imposing sanctions, Switzerland was “ruining” its status as a “model state.” The campaign matters to Moscow because Pro Suisse, an ultraconservative movement linked to the nationalist Swiss People’s Party, wants an absolute constitutional ban on economic sanctions against aggressor states, with only one exception: sanctions formally announced by the U.N. Security Council.

Because Russia holds veto power on the Security Council, approval would effectively shield it from Swiss sanctions. Le Monde noted that Switzerland is a global commodities-trading center and a hub for oligarchs. Before Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, two-thirds of global transactions involving Russian oil were negotiated in Geneva. The Swiss Bankers Association says most assets belonging to sanctioned people and entities have been frozen or transferred to other jurisdictions.

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