The head of the Swiss armed forces, Thomas Suessli, warns that the country cannot cope with a large-scale attack and must increase its defense spending.

Thomas Suessli, the head of the Swiss armed forces, stated that Switzerland is not prepared to defend itself against a large-scale attack, especially from Russia, and that an increase in military spending is necessary. Although the country is preparing for cyberattacks and threats from non-state actors, the army faces significant shortages in equipment.

Thomas Suessli emphasized that, in case of emergency, only one third of soldiers would be fully equipped. Switzerland is modernizing its armed forces, including by replacing fighter jets with F-35A, but is facing cost overruns and criticism regarding spending priorities. Although the country aims to increase defense spending to 1% of GDP by 2032, Suessli believes that this pace is too slow given the current threats. He emphasized that neutrality does not provide real protection without adequate military capability.