Swiss government again declines to sign nuclear weapons treaty
The Swiss government is sticking to its guns: it still does not want to sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). It reckons participation within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is more effective. A change of strategy at the present time is not advisable for several reasons, the government said on Wednesday. Ministers explained that joining the TPNW was not in Switzerland’s best interests in the current climate, in which a new war in Europe has once again brought security policy to the fore. Furthermore, the government considers the TPNW to be of little impact since it is not recognised by nuclear powers; neither do almost all Western and European countries participate. “A world without nuclear weapons can only be achieved with and not against states with nuclear weapons,” the Federal Council said. + Opinion: Swiss ‘wait-and-see’ nuclear approach is sensible Latest assessment The TPNW came into force in 2021 and contains ...