Trump Lets Switzerland Come Crashing Back Down to Earth

6736

July 28, 2025

Published in Luzerner Zeitung
(Switzerland) on 17 July 2025
by Benjamin Rosch (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Mallory Matsumoto. Edited by Patricia Simoni.

It is frightening. Hardly any provision can be made for the Swiss Armed Forces without rough turbulence. Even optimists should be concerned.

After grounded drones and expensive planes, now this: U.S. President Donald Trump would rather deliver the Patriot air defense system ordered by Switzerland to Ukraine instead. Delivery of the multi-billion-dollar Swiss purchase has been delayed indefinitely.

When referring to this development, optimists may argue that Swiss security is not actually in as bad a shape as the army has long been wanting us to believe. In the end, NATO is shrugging its shoulders, saying that the weapons are more urgently needed in Ukraine.

But even critics of the army should be concerned with how frivolously world powers disregard active contracts these days. When the big guys make a new deal, a small country like Switzerland barely gets last-minute notification. In light of the U.S. president’s recent decision, it seems unrealistic that Switzerland has long considered itself to be in a special position for purchasing F-35 fighter jets.

Trump’s latest sleight of hand against the Swiss air force does not bode well for ongoing negotiations over the price of the jets. The armament program for which Switzerland is paying a lot of money to secure its airspace and NATO’s favor is called “Air2030.” Switzerland is now crashing back down to Earth.

Trump lässt die Schweiz auf dem Boden der Tatsachen landen
Es ist beängstigend: Kaum eine ¬Beschaffung der Schweizer Armee geht derzeit ohne gröbere Turbulenzen über die Bühne. Selbst Optimisten sollten sich Gedanken machen.

Nach gegroundeten Drohnen und teureren Fliegern nun dies: US-Präsident Trump liefert die von der Schweiz bestellten Luftverteidigungssysteme Patriot lieber in die Ukraine. Die Schweizer Milliarden-Beschaffung: auf unbestimmt verschoben.
Optimisten mögen dieser Entwicklung die Erkenntnis abringen, dass es um die Schweizer Sicherheit wohl nicht so schlecht bestellt ist, wie die Armee uns seit einiger Zeit weismachen will. In der Ukraine würden die Waffen dringender gebraucht, lautet letztlich achselzuckend die Begründung der Nato.
Doch auch Armeekritikern sollte zu denken geben, wie leichtfertig die Weltmächte sich derzeit über geltende Verträge hinwegsetzen. Wenn die Grossen einen neuen Deal ausmarchen, erhält ein kleines Land wie die Schweiz gerade mal eine kurzfristige Notiz davon. Wie realitätsfern wirkt angesichts der jüngsten Entscheide des US-Präsidenten, dass die Schweiz sich lange in einer Sonderrolle beim Kauf für den F-35 wähnte.
Für die laufenden Verhandlungen um dessen Preis verheisst der neuste Handstreich Trumps zur Schweizer Luftverteidigung nichts Gutes. «Air2030» heisst das Rüstungsprogramm, das der Schweiz für viel Geld den Luftraum und die Gunst der Nato sichern sollte. Nun landet die Schweiz hart auf dem Boden der Tatsachen.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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