00:01Swiss and Austrian soldiers simulating a cross-border conflict.
00:06The first joint training in more than two decades is just the beginning.
00:11Switzerland's new defense minister is calling for more cooperation with neighboring armies.
00:16Of course, neutrality needs a certain degree of flexibility in order to fulfill our tasks,
00:21and that includes being able to carry out exercises abroad.
00:24The move towards a more flexible neutrality comes with Europe's Alpine heart in big trouble.
00:31After the end of the Cold War, Switzerland and Austria greatly reduced their military spending,
00:36and when the conflict in Ukraine escalated, the two countries realized their lack of defense capability.
00:43Now Vienna and Bern have not only allocated billions of dollars to their defense budgets,
00:48but they've also decided to facilitate the transfer of European forces across Alpine borders,
00:54and to join the continent's air defense program, SkyShield.
00:58It is essential for militarily neutral states such as Austria and Switzerland to be able to defend themselves,
01:07and SkyShield is nothing more than a joint air defense procurement,
01:11especially in terms of short and medium ranges.
01:14But some would rather see less cooperation.
01:18Right-wing populists, which run the biggest parties in both countries,
01:21are against SkyShield participation, fearing a NATO accession through the back door.
01:26Switzerland will not move closer to NATO, nor will it become a member of NATO.
01:32But cooperation with the armies of our neighboring countries is of central importance,
01:36because we cannot ensure our security completely autonomously.
01:42Meanwhile, Switzerland's defense minister also wants to ease the country's strict rules on arms exports
01:48in view of declining weapon sales.
01:51It remains to be seen just how flexible neutrality can be, while also maintaining its purpose.
01:58Johannes Blechberger, CJTN, Allensteig in Austria.
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