GENEVA: Switzerland’s parliament has approved a request from Ukrainian authorities for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to address it.
The invitation, announced in a statement late on Friday, comes amid pressure on Switzerland’s government to break with a centuries-old tradition of neutrality and end a ban of exports of Swiss weapons to conflict zones such as Ukraine.
So far, the government has refused to change this policy.
Zelenskiy to meet Scholz in Berlin on May 13
The subject of Zelenskiy’s address, which will the first by video by a foreign leader to the legislature, is unknown. It is scheduled for the summer session beginning on May 30.
During that session, lawmakers are also set to weigh a motion to provide 5 billion Swiss Francs ($5.6 billion) of support to Ukraine over 5-10 years.
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