Swiss foreign policy
Switzerland keeps diplomatic channels open in Iran and Ukraine conflicts
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis says Switzerland will continue offering diplomatic channels in stalled conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine. He stressed that Bern can facilitate dialogue but lacks the power of major states to impose settlements.
Bern keeps the doors open
Switzerland is keeping its channels open as major peace efforts remain stuck. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said in New York on September 24 that Bern will continue trying to support diplomatic processes linked to Iran and Ukraine, even though Switzerland cannot force either side to compromise.
The statement reflects the limits and purpose of Swiss foreign policy. Bern can provide discreet contacts, host discussions and help test possible openings. It cannot bring the political or military weight that Washington can bring to negotiations involving major powers.
Cassis made that point bluntly while assessing the role of the United States in global conflicts. “Without the United States, not much happens in this world,” he told journalists, while acknowledging that Washington’s methods and President Donald Trump’s language can draw criticism.
Switzerland’s value rests on access and credibility. Its long tradition of speaking with opposing sides gives officials a route into conversations that public diplomacy can close. Cassis’s meetings in New York with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov showed Bern working those channels at a difficult moment for international diplomacy.