Switzerland cannot defend itself against a full-scale attack, according to the army leader

Switzerland’s head of armed forces stated that the country cannot defend itself against a full-scale attack and that it needs to increase military spending in light of growing Russian threats.

Thomas Suessli told the NZZ newspaper that although the nation is ready for cyberattacks and strikes by “non-state actors” on vital infrastructure, there are still significant equipment shortages in the military.

“What we cannot do is defend against threats from a distance or even a full-scale attack on our country,” Suessli, who will retire at the end of the year, stated.

“Knowing that only one-third of all soldiers would be fully equipped in a real emergency is burdensome,” he remarked in an interview that was published on Saturday.

Switzerland is upgrading its ground and artillery systems, adding more funds for defense, and swapping out its outdated fighter jets for Lockheed Martin F-35As.

However, there are cost overruns in the plan, and the federal government’s limited resources raise concerns about spending on artillery and munitions.

Despite Russia’s attempts to destabilize Europe and the conflict in Ukraine, Suessli claimed that public perceptions of the military had not changed.

He attributed this to Switzerland’s abject belief that neutrality provided security, its lack of recent combat experience, and its remoteness from the fight.

However, that is not accurate in the past. Unarmed neutral nations were dragged into conflict in a number of cases. He asserted, “Neutrality is only useful if it can be protected by force.”

Switzerland has committed to progressively increasing defense spending from around 0.7% of GDP to roughly 1% of GDP by 2032, which is far less than the 5% target that NATO nations have agreed upon.

At that rate, the Swiss military wouldn’t be completely prepared until about 2050.

“Considering the threat, that is too long,” Suessli remarked.