The LREM MEP declared that the European Union should not be “a big soft Switzerland” in its management of the Ukrainian crisis.
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“This sentence is very embarrassing. It called for a reaction.” The Swiss ambassador in Paris protested on Saturday February 5 against the remarks “unacceptable” of LREM MEP Nathalie Loiseau, who declared that the European Union should not be “a big soft Switzerland” in its handling of the Ukrainian crisis.
“I agree on everything with Nathalie Loiseau, we do the same things: help Ukraine, bring the Russians to the negotiating table. I could have given this interview myself. She wanted to push the European Union to do more”said the ambassador, Roberto Balzaretti. “But the tone of his words is disparaging to say the least”he added. “These comments are unacceptable”.
Back from Kiev, Nathalie Loiseau (LREM) told the weekly Point than “faced with Moscow, Europe [devait] not be a big soft Swiss”, before tweeting the link to the article. The ambassador then replied on the embassy’s Twitter account:
Please mention the #Swiss. For decades, we have worked for peace and security, in Europe and in the world. With discretion and determination, alongside our partners, such as France and the EU, and in multilateral forums.
— Swiss Embassy in France (@AmbSuisseParis) February 5, 2022
Former Secretary of State for European Affairs, Roberto Balzaretti told AFP that he did not want to inflate the controversy, claiming a “balanced reaction” and claiming to be “completely ready to discuss” with Nathalie Loiseau on how to manage the crisis between Westerners and Russia. “Basically, there is no difference between French policy and Swiss policy on this subject”he concluded.