Switzerland Rejects EU Membership Plans

Switzerland does not intend to join the European Union but plans to strengthen cooperation with the bloc through a new package of bilateral agreements, according to Swiss officials.

A source at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs told Russian newspaper Izvestia that Bern aims to expand and deepen its partnership with the European Union without pursuing full membership.

The official said the new agreements reflect Switzerland’s long-standing approach of maintaining close ties with the EU through bilateral arrangements rather than integration into the bloc.

Jean-Luc Addor, a member of parliament from the Swiss People's Party, told Izvestia that pro-European lobbying groups have recently intensified their efforts ahead of a vote on ratifying the new agreements with the EU.

Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it maintains extensive economic and political cooperation with the bloc.

The new agreements, expected to be approved no later than 2027, cover a broad range of sectors including transport, energy and healthcare.

Switzerland has also aligned with most European sanctions imposed on Russia since February 2022.

According to available data, the Swiss military participated in 20 international military exercises and four domestic drills in 2024, all conducted with the involvement of forces from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states.