1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,271 2 00:00:00,271 --> 00:00:07,360 The 27 EU member states spent approximately 418 billion euros on defense in 2025. 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,853 That is 20% more than last year. 4 00:00:10,853 --> 00:00:15,726 On average, this amounted to 2.2% of gross domestic product. 5 00:00:15,726 --> 00:00:23,516 According to the NATO decision, spending is to rise to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035. 6 00:00:23,516 --> 00:00:31,353 Mark Rutte, the current NATO Secretary General, said in a speech in Berlin on December 11, 2025: 7 00:00:31,353 --> 00:00:39,260 "We must be prepared for a war on the scale of those our grandparents and great-grandparents experienced." 8 00:00:39,260 --> 00:00:43,402 Is all of Europe preparing for war? — Yes and no! 9 00:00:43,402 --> 00:00:48,982 Historically, Switzerland, with its policy of armed neutrality, was regarded as an 10 00:00:48,982 --> 00:00:53,376 indomitable Gaul—an independent and reliable player. 11 00:00:53,376 --> 00:00:58,056 Switzerland has a long tradition of peace mediation. 12 00:00:58,056 --> 00:01:03,584 In 1954, she hosted the Geneva Conference on the Indochina War. 13 00:01:03,584 --> 00:01:12,470 In 1962, she supported the negotiations between France and Algeria, thereby contributing to the Évian Accords. 14 00:01:12,470 --> 00:01:18,269 More recently, she has also been involved, for example, in the peace processes in Colombia and Mozambique, as well 15 00:01:18,269 --> 00:01:22,316 as acting as a mediating power between the U.S. and Iran. 16 00:01:22,316 --> 00:01:28,245 Former Swiss diplomat and State Secretary Georges Martin recently said that there is hardly a 17 00:01:28,245 --> 00:01:32,270 continent on which Switzerland has not been active. 18 00:01:32,270 --> 00:01:39,516 "There was hardly a week that went by without reports on Switzerland's activities regarding peace and peace negotiations." 19 00:01:39,516 --> 00:01:42,410 "That's just part of the Swiss DNA." 20 00:01:42,410 --> 00:01:47,259 However, according to Martin, by adopting sanctions against Russia, Switzerland has 21 00:01:47,259 --> 00:01:51,296 abandoned its long-standing policy of neutrality. 22 00:01:51,296 --> 00:01:54,309 "These days, it feels like nothing is happening anymore. 23 00:01:54,309 --> 00:01:57,803 Switzerland had something like this genetic heritage. 24 00:01:57,803 --> 00:02:05,820 But when the war broke out in Ukraine, we saw our socialist leaders leave, go to Bucha, and weep. 25 00:02:05,820 --> 00:02:09,320 Of course, that's awful! 26 00:02:13,326 --> 00:02:16,619 They were also exploited for propaganda purposes. 27 00:02:16,619 --> 00:02:21,605 Because when two countries are at war, there is always propaganda directed against the other. 28 00:02:21,605 --> 00:02:28,025 "It's important to remember that before 2022, even the Socialists said Ukraine was the most 29 00:02:28,025 --> 00:02:32,416 corrupt and undemocratic country in Europe." 30 00:02:32,416 --> 00:02:39,875 Georges Martin describes the Neutrality Initiative, which will be put to a vote in Switzerland on September 31 00:02:39,875 --> 00:02:44,243 27, 2026, as a historic opportunity for Switzerland. 32 00:02:44,243 --> 00:02:47,449 "Why is this a historic opportunity? 33 00:02:51,149 --> 00:02:57,715 Because this is the first time for Switzerland—because the Swiss people have the opportunity for the first time to truly express 34 00:02:57,715 --> 00:03:03,665 their views on neutrality and then enshrine it at the beginning of our Constitution with binding articles that would 35 00:03:03,665 --> 00:03:10,400 compel our authorities to do exactly the opposite of what they have been doing since the start of the war in Ukraine." 36 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:16,990 According to Martin, if the neutrality initiative were not approved, it would spell the end of Switzerland. 37 00:03:16,990 --> 00:03:21,776 To him, a Switzerland that was not neutral would no longer be Switzerland and would no 38 00:03:21,776 --> 00:03:25,376 longer be perceived as such internationally. 39 00:03:25,376 --> 00:03:32,508 So please share this broadcast and join us in advocating for a clear “Yes” vote on the 40 00:03:32,508 --> 00:03:36,876 Neutrality Initiative on September 27, 2026. 41 00:03:36,876 --> 00:03:43,840 So that peace, peace mediation, and diplomacy have a chance in Europe and other crisis-stricken regions.