Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, historically neutral European countries have begun an unprecedented change: if Switzerland has followed in the footsteps of the European Union and imposed sanctions on Russia, Sweden and Finland went even further by asking to join NATO.

For Max Bergmann, director of the Europe program at the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) based in Washington, the war in Ukraine has thus "challenged the very concept of neutrality, and the way in which countries can be neutral in present circumstances".

France 24 takes stock of the history and development of neutrality policies specific to certain European countries, put to the test by the war in Ukraine.  

  • Finland and Sweden  

Sharing nearly 1,340 km of border with Russia, Finland has long chosen to remain neutral so as not to "antagonize or provoke" its powerful neighbor, according to Andrew Cottey of University College Cork.

The country thus signed in 1948 a peace agreement with the Soviet Union, in which it affirms in the preamble its “desire to remain outside the conflicting interests of the great powers”.

This treaty, from which Finland left after the fall of the USSR, prohibited it from joining a military alliance against Moscow and allowing an attack against the USSR from its soil.  

During the Cold War, Finland therefore "always had to consider the impact that each of its political acts could have on its relations with the Soviet Union", notes Jacob Westberg, associate professor of war studies at the Swedish Defense University.  

For its part, Sweden owes its neutrality to a long tradition, initiated in 1815 and continued during the Second World War and the Cold War.

But this was called into question in 2007 with the signing of the Lisbon Treaty by Sweden: article 42.7 of the text stipulates that the member countries of the European Union owe each other assistance in the event of an attack.  

In 2009, Stockholm also signed a declaration of solidarity with NATO, which has since laid the foundations of its security policy.

This statement states that Sweden "will not stand by if another European Union member state or a Nordic country is attacked or affected by a disaster. We expect these countries to take similar action if Sweden is affected. ".

Finally, in 2011 Sweden adopted a declaration of solidarity with its Nordic neighbors - Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland -, affirming that "if a Nordic country is affected, the others will help it, if it request, with appropriate means".  

This beginning of rapprochement between Finland, Sweden and NATO experienced a marked acceleration in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea.

The two countries then sign a support agreement with the Atlantic Alliance, marking, according to Jacob Westberg, "the first step in the rapprochement of Finland and Sweden with NATO" in terms of defence.

Both countries are also increasing their defense spending and arming themselves to fight Russian disinformation.  

The invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 will play a catalytic role.

Public opinion then refused to maintain "an ambiguous position" in the face of the "potential threat of a Russian invasion", according to Max Bergmann.

The two countries are asking to join NATO in May 2022 in order to benefit from the mutual protection promised by Article 5.

Since the Russian invasion, Sweden has provided more than $475 million in military aid to Ukraine, approving its tenth shipment on February 8, worth $406 million.

Finland is not to be outdone and has provided nearly 590 million euros in military aid to kyiv.

  • Switzerland 

Switzerland prides itself on having the oldest policy of neutrality in the world, recalls Jacob Westberg, and it even enshrined it in its Constitution.

The return of war in Europe has prompted it to increase its military budget, set at at least 1% of GDP for 2030, against 0.67% in 2019, and has also moved public opinion.

According to a recent poll, 55% of the Swiss are ready to authorize the re-export of Swiss arms to Ukraine, which is currently prohibited.

The leader of the Liberal-Radical Party (FDP, centre-right) submitted a motion to the government on February 6 to change the country's neutrality policy, while Parliament is also interested in the question.

  • Austria 

Austria is bound to neutrality by the Austrian State Treaty of 1955 and by its Constitution, which prevents it from forming military alliances or hosting foreign military bases on its soil.

But Vienna has nevertheless pledged more than 580 million euros to Ukraine, mainly in the form of humanitarian aid, and welcomed more than 50,000 refugees.  

"If we are militarily neutral according to our Constitution and our legal regulations, underlined Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, we are certainly not politically neutral with regard to Ukraine. That is why we have supported all the sanctions taken by the European Union from the beginning."  

Despite this political support displayed for Ukraine, Austria nevertheless seeks to maintain good relations with Russia.

On February 28, 2022, less than a week after the start of the invasion, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer offered to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Vienna.

And since the government announced that it would allow Russian parliamentarians under European sanctions to attend an OSCE meeting in Vienna on February 23-24, the country has come under fire from its European allies. . 

  • Ireland  

Dublin adopts its policy of neutrality at the start of the Second World War.

Ireland does not take part in the war effort in spite of the appeals of the British and the Americans.

In 1949, she also refused to join NATO, explaining that she did not want to join an alliance of which the United Kingdom was a member.  

Irish neutrality "draws primarily from the struggle for independence from the United Kingdom, and contains important elements of anti-imperialism and anti-militarism", analyzes Andrew Cottey, of the University College Cork.  

Immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however, Ireland gave clear support to Kyiv, with then Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin summarizing his country's position: "The official policy of Ireland is to be militarily non-aligned. But we are not politically non-aligned."  

While the majority of Irish wish to remain militarily neutral, the country has paid Kiev some 55 million euros in the form of "non-lethal military assistance", such as body armor or medical supplies for Ukrainian soldiers. .

Ireland has also taken in more than 62,000 refugees, a significant number considering its 5 million inhabitants.  

Aware that the country should no longer "depend entirely on the protection of the United States and the United Kingdom", according to Max Bergmann, the government has also announced the largest increase in the military budget in Irish history.

The war in Ukraine has thus put security back at the forefront of European concerns.

Faced with the fear of an extension of the conflict beyond the Ukrainian borders, the traditionally neutral countries are being forced to rethink their position. 

This article has been adapted from its original English version.

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