Story perspectives

Switzerland Urged to Boost Defense Spending Amid Threats

12/27/2025

Summary

Story summary

Lieutenant-General Thomas Suessli warned Switzerland cannot defend a full-scale attack and must raise military spending due to threats from Russia.
Only a third of Swiss soldiers are fully equipped for emergencies.
Switzerland plans to modernize its forces and replace jets with Lockheed Martin F-35As, but budget overruns pose challenges.
Suessli criticized neutrality as a safeguard and said defense spending should reach 1% of GDP by 2032, though that remains insufficient.

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Story summary

Lieutenant-General Thomas Suessli warned Switzerland cannot defend a full-scale attack and must raise military spending due to threats from Russia.
Only a third of Swiss soldiers are fully equipped for emergencies.
Switzerland plans to modernize its forces and replace jets with Lockheed Martin F-35As, but budget overruns pose challenges.
Suessli criticized neutrality as a safeguard and said defense spending should reach 1% of GDP by 2032, though that remains insufficient.