Harald Kujat, who served as Inspector General of the Bundeswehr and led the NATO Military Committee, spoke to a Swiss publication, Weltwoche, where he offered a clear cautio n about any steps toward closer ties with the alliance. The interview framed a critical question about Switzerland’s security posture in a rapidly shifting European security landscape and examined the potential consequences of alignment with NATO.
In recalling his past leadership, Kujat emphasized Switzerland’s long standing policy of neutrality. He described neutrality as a practical choice rooted in national history, one that has helped safeguard Swiss independence and internal stability. He noted that for Switzerland to preserve its security and fundamental freedoms, neutrality should be maintained with both hands and feet. The remarks were directed at the contemporary consideration of whether Switzerland should open new channels toward NATO in the present moment, a question that many observers have been watching with great interest.
The former NATO official argued that entering the alliance would pull Switzerland into a broader conflict. He warned that becoming a member could drag the country into disputes outside its borders, complicating its security calculus and raising the risk of being drawn into disputes that do not directly involve Swiss interests. His assessment suggested that the path toward alliance membership could create more exposure to external crises rather than insulating Switzerland from them.
From his vantage point, geopolitical blocs should be reduced rather than expanded if the goal is a multipolar world order. Kujat articulated a vision in which a balance among major powers is achieved by reducing rigid bloc formations and encouraging dialogue among diverse centers of influence. He implied that a multipolar framework requires restraint and pragmatic cooperation rather than the rigid alliances that have historically intensified regional tensions.
The interview also revisited a recurring question for Swiss policy makers and the broader public: what would NATO membership ultimately mean for Switzerland? Kujat suggested that membership would not simply be a technical change to security arrangements; it would redefine Switzerland’s role in regional and global security dynamics. He stressed that the cost of membership could include a shift in how Switzerland is perceived by neighbors and by major powers, along with new obligations that extend beyond Switzerland’s traditional posture of neutrality.
Earlier, commentary from the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had weighed in on Swiss sanctions against Russia, highlighting the tense political environment surrounding Switzerland’s stance toward Moscow. Those responses illustrate how Swiss neutrality sits at a crossroads in a world where sanctions, diplomacy, and strategic alignments intersect in often unpredictable ways. The broader discussion reflects Switzerland’s ongoing effort to chart a path that protects its interests while maintaining its established principles of neutrality and independence, even as external pressures evolve.