Switzerland President Pledges More Support For Ukraine

Swiss President, Alain Berset has pledged his long-term support for Ukraine in a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv, where he also attended an international summit on food security, the Swiss government said.

Ukraine is hosting an international summit to promote its efforts to export grain despite an ongoing Russian blockade of the Black Sea, its main export route.

“In talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, President Berset stressed that Switzerland stands in solidarity with Ukraine for the long haul, even in times of multiple concurrent crises,” the Swiss government said.

Zelenskiy said on X that mine clearing, peace proposals, and the use of profits from frozen Russian assets were also discussed.

Meanwhile, Switzerland has previously said it has frozen some 7.5 billion Swiss francs ($8.5 billion) in Russian assets.

During the trip, Berset also visited Bucha where many civilians were killed in the early stages of the war, and laid flowers at a memorial in Kyiv for the Soviet-era Holodomor, when millions of Ukrainian peasants starved to death.

Berset also said Switzerland would provide additional aid to the country, supplying 10 more ambulances and six fire engines to replace damaged ones.

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere