Support of the Confederation for the people affected by the war in Ukraine

Switzerland has been supporting Ukraine's reform efforts since the 1990s. It also works in particular to improve living standards for people, improve public services and promote sustainable economic development.

Initial reaction: support stocked up and adapted

Today, about half of Ukraine's population depends on humanitarian aid. The first phase focused on clarifying needs and delivering aid. That is why Switzerland's commitment after 24 February 2022 took on a strong humanitarian component. This was aligned with the thematic priorities of the previous cooperation programme, which included the following priorities:

• strengthening democratic institutions
• improving health (improving basic services)
• sustainable urban development (e.g. energy efficiency, sustainable mobility)
• strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (agricultural SMEs, access to financial services)

This long-term commitment will be continued with the necessary adjustments.

• In the area of development cooperation, for example, a project for the rehabilitation of war trauma victims as well as mental health promotion has been adapted.
• Switzerland has also been committed to digitalisation and decentralisation in Ukraine since 2015. The E-Governance for Accountability and Participation (EGAP) project offers important administrative services digitally, thereby increasing government transparency even during the war, promoting the population's participation in decision-making processes and reducing corruption.
• In addition, Switzerland promotes equal access to education and the strengthening of local governance. The project, which started in 2022, includes shelter construction in schools and distributing relief goods to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in schools.
• The urban development and mobility projects have also been adjusted to factor in new IDP populations and changing socio-economic circumstances (e.g. barrier-free access to services and transport).

Country programme 2025–28

To allow Switzerland to continue to play a leading role in the future, the Federal Council decided to support Ukraine and the region with CHF 5 billion during the 2025–36 period.

CHF 1.5 billion has been earmarked for the initial phase up to 2028. On 12 February 2025, the Federal Council approved a country programme for Ukraine that has three impact areas:

• Economic recovery
• Public services
• Protection of the civilian population and peace

The Swiss private sector, with its expertise and specialist knowledge, as well as its innovative and high-quality products, is to play a central role in implementing the country programme for the recovery in Ukraine.

The country programme should allow for single-source implementation of aid to Ukraine. The project organisation set up for this purpose is headed by the Federal Council's Delegate for Ukraine Jacques Gerber and draws on the existing processes and expertise of the Federal Administration.

2025–28 country programme for Ukraine (PDF, 24 Pages, 1.3 MB, English)

Winter aid

The targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure have resulted in the destruction of over half of the country's energy production infrastructure. Accordingly, millions of people have insufficient access to electricity, heating and water. In December 2024, the Confederation decided on a winter support package amounting to CHF 45 million. This package builds on existing experience and networks. In the previous two winters, Switzerland contributed a total of CHF 84.5 million for winter aid. As part of this, the Confederation supported, in particular, projects for the urgent repair of destroyed civilian infrastructure (e.g. emergency repairs in the energy, road and health sectors).

Factsheet on winter aid (PDF, 1 Page, 306.1 kB, English)

Support from Swiss experts and specialists on site

Since February 2022, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has been posting Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) specialists to Ukraine and to Moldova to reinforce Swiss representations in both countries and support humanitarian organisations on the ground (ICRC, UN, NGOs).

For example, following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, two SHA specialists in engineering and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) were able to help with short and medium-term solutions to alleviate the effects of the dam's destruction. The SHA has provided WASH support to two million people since February 2022, and plans to reach another two million by 2027.

With the significant increase in Swiss support for Ukraine, it was also possible to bolster the development cooperation and peace-promotion staff at the Swiss embassy in Kyiv. The strong presence of this embassy in Kyiv makes it possible to monitor and ensure the quality and effectiveness of Swiss projects in Ukraine.

Financial assistance and multilateral support

In providing financial assistance, Switzerland makes use of instruments of international organisations such as the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which have set up funds to pool the contributions of various countries to Ukraine.

Through the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund, Switzerland is helping to urgently repair destroyed energy infrastructure with a contribution of CHF 54 million. It has also allocated CHF 18 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, administered by the Energy Community Secretariat, to provide material needed to repair the country's energy infrastructure for example (where possible via Swiss partners).

Switzerland has also contributed CHF 3 million to the World Bank's Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment initiative that is assessing the damage caused by the war and evaluating and determining which repairs need to be prioritised.

Switzerland is supporting the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (EBRD) fund with over CHF 20 million. This fund will provide grants for the modernisation and restoration of municipal infrastructure in Ukraine, with a focus on energy efficiency.

Switzerland is continuing to support two funds of the EBRD: the Small Business Impact Fund and the Multi-Donor Account. The former, a vector for Swiss support for Ukraine's private sector, receives CHF 11.5 million. It is improving framework conditions for SMEs through advisory services, stronger supply chains, access to financing and the establishment of industrial parks. The latter, to which SECO is contributing CHF 7.25 million, promotes reforms through comprehensive political engagement and capacity-building.

In addition, the EBRD has set up a facility to revive the war risk insurance market in Ukraine. This facility has created a war risk insurance mechanism to counteract the withdrawal of international reinsurance companies from the Ukrainian market since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Switzerland is preparing its participation in this facility.

Through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Switzerland is supporting a mixed financing instrument with CHF 9.5 million, through which loans can be granted to farmers and other businesses in the agricultural sector. Through the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets, Switzerland is also investing in the Horizon Capital Growth Fund, which promotes start-ups in the IT and export sectors and through which agricultural businesses continue to have access to loans.

Beyond this, SECO also supports projects at the municipal level in Ukraine. The IMF Ukraine Capacity Development Fund, to which Switzerland has contributed CHF 7.5 million, supports the Ukrainian government's economic reform agenda with the aim of maintaining economic and financial stability.

In addition to specific cooperation projects, managing multilateral instruments is also important. In this context, Switzerland represents Ukraine on the EBRD's executive board. The Federal Council has allocated CHF 96.11 million for a Swiss participation in the EBRD's capital increase. The additional capital is to be used to reform the business environment and to make climate-related investments in cooperation with the private sector as part of the recovery. Switzerland is also contributing EUR 6.4 million to help finance Ukraine's share of the capital increase.

Financial overview

Since February 2022, Switzerland has provided more than CHF 630.17 million for international cooperation (IC) in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. This involves, for example, the delivery of relief goods, support for health systems, decentralisation, digitalisation, vocational education and training, SMEs, and the strengthening of the agricultural sector. In Ukraine, working with local actors is particularly relevant – the country has a significant number of well-qualified people who have both the networks and the know-how to be able to mount immediate and flexible responses, including enabling humanitarian access to the last few kilometres in the frontline areas which are inaccessible to most international actors for security reasons.

Ukraine (IC)
Ukraine (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, SECO)
Ukraine newsticker

Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. An estimated third of its territory – more than 139,000km² – is contaminated with mines and other explosive ordnance. This area is about 3.5 times the size of Switzerland.

On 17 and 18 October 2024, Switzerland and Ukraine jointly hosted the Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC2024) in Lausanne. At the conference, a majority of the states present adopted the Lausanne Call for Action, which calls for concrete measures in the field of humanitarian demining in Ukraine and worldwide.

In September 2023, the Federal Council approved a CHF 100 million aid package for a period of four years, to be used exclusively for humanitarian demining in Ukraine. The aim is to demine residential and agricultural areas and to make Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery possible. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is providing half of the package's CHF 100 million, with the other half coming from the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS). Switzerland had already been involved in mine action in Ukraine: in 2022 and 2023, the FDFA allocated CHF 15.2 million for the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and the Fondation suisse de déminage (FSD). On 9 October 2024, the Federal Council decided to earmark an additional CHF 30 million for the work of the FSD in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions for the period up to 2027. In September 2023, the DDPS had already supplied Ukraine's civil protection service with a demining device from the Jura-based Digger foundation. In addition, the FDFA established a partnership in October 2024 with the NGO Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and Digger. The latter provided one of its machines to a MAG team of Ukrainian deminers. In April 2024, the Confederation approved a contribution to the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to clear fields and provide financial support to farmers to allow them to resume their agricultural activities as soon as possible. Also since April 2024, Switzerland has been supporting the NGO Humanity&Inclusion to ensure essential services for mine victims in Ukraine. In October 2024, the Confederation signed a contract with the Swiss company Global Clearance Solutions (GCS) to have three demining systems delivered to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Without justice, lasting peace will not return to Ukraine. Switzerland therefore supports mechanisms and processes for the prosecution of crimes under international law, including war crimes and the crime of aggression. For example, Switzerland, along with 42 other states, referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and provided support for the court's investigation by deploying forensic specialists for a limited period of time. This was the prerequisite for the ICC prosecutor to start the investigation immediately. Switzerland is also committed to the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

However, given the scale of crimes related to Russia's military aggression, it will be impossible to prosecute all cases. Switzerland is therefore supporting Ukraine in efforts to set up further mechanisms and activities to address criminal accountability. To this end it is supporting Ukrainian NGOs, the OSCE and the UN in documenting violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights, which can then be used in any truth-seeking mechanisms that may be established in future.

In addition, Switzerland is helping the Ukrainian authorities to search for and identify missing persons. Not knowing the fate of a disappeared relative is an enormous burden for families as well as an obstacle to efforts to foster peace and social cohesion.

Switzerland is also supporting the Ukrainian initiative to provide comprehensive reparation measures for war victims. It is a member of the Council of Europe's international war damage register and is funding consultations between the Ukrainian authorities and war-torn communities aimed at ensuring that their needs are considered in future reparation measures and mechanisms.

Switzerland organised the high-level Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Bürgenstock resort (canton of Nidwalden) on 15 and 16 June 2024. The overarching goal of the summit was to catalyse a future peace process. A hundred delegations attended, including 55 heads of state and government from all parts of the globe. The summit concluded with a large majority of participating states agreeing on positions formulated together and on the next steps in terms of a future peace process. The positions were published in the joint Bürgenstock Communiqué, which has to date garnered support from 95 states and international organisations.

High-level summit on peace in Ukraine dossier

At the beginning of July 2022, the then president of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis, together with the Ukrainian prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, brought all major partners (EU, international organisations) to the table for the first time in order to advance the political process of Ukraine's recovery. The Lugano Declaration of that first annual Ukraine Recovery Conference proposed the political framework, noting that Ukraine was responsible for steering the process, but that reforms must continue in parallel. The Lugano Principles, which are contained within the Lugano Declaration, list common benchmarks for the future. At the conference in Lugano, 59 states and organisations were represented by delegations. The Ukraine Recovery Conference was held in London in 2023 and in Berlin in 2024. In 2025, it will take place in Rome.

Support for the Lugano Principles
URC2022 dossier

Switzerland offered its good offices to both parties at the beginning of the war. At the request of Ukraine, Switzerland and Ukraine negotiated an agreement on the representation of Ukrainian interests in Russia by Switzerland (protecting power mandate). As Russia publicly rejected the mandate, it could not be activated.

Good offices

Since the start of Russia's military aggression, the situation in Ukraine has also been repeatedly discussed in various organisations. The UN Security Council, for example, has regularly debated the situation in Ukraine.

In the UN General Assembly and from 2023 to 2024 as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Switzerland has strongly condemned the military aggression in its statements on Ukraine and repeatedly called for compliance with international law and the protection of the civilian population.

The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva – also with the support of Switzerland – has set up a commission of inquiry that gathers information on violations of human rights and IHL in connection with Russia's war of aggression.

Switzerland takes a stand regularly when the situation in Ukraine is discussed at the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

UN Security Council newsticker

OSCE

"It is essential in the medium term to bring everyone to the table"

Council of Europe

"It was a major shock but it hasn't weakened the Council of Europe, it has made it stronger"

A credit of CHF 9 million for scientific solidarity in favour of Ukrainian researchers in Switzerland has been set up via the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

The Swiss government has been working to protect Ukraine's rich cultural heritage by funding projects run by civil society actors and by providing financial support to international organisations such as UNESCO and the OSCE. In order to prevent the destruction or illegal transfer of Ukrainian cultural property, funds have been allocated to increase border controls and to establish an online platform to facilitate the exchange of information between countries.

Protective and packaging materials that are no longer available in Ukraine have been delivered to over 150 museums in various regions of the country in order to protect their collections. Also in the cultural arena, research projects aimed at protecting Ukraine's endangered archaeological heritage have received Swiss support. In addition, several unique works from the collection of the National Art Museum and the Rodovid Gallery in Kyiv have been transferred to Switzerland for conservation and public exhibition. A collection of books in Ukrainian has been built up for public libraries in Switzerland with financial support from the Swiss government.

War in Ukraine: Measures for researchers (SNSF)

On 28 February 2022, the Federal Council decided that Switzerland would adopt EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, thus strengthening their effect. Switzerland also applied the EU's subsequent sanctions packages within a very short period of time.

The sanctions include targeted measures against 1,818 individuals and 507 organisations (freezing of assets and travel bans), numerous measures in the financial sector, trade bans on certain goods, and a ban on providing certain services to the Russian government or Russian companies. In addition, Switzerland participates in the price caps on Russian crude oil and petroleum products. Switzerland ensures that sanctions contain exemptions so as not to hinder humanitarian activities.

Switzerland's adoption of EU sanctions does not alter its neutrality in any way. Switzerland continues to fully uphold its neutrality in the strict sense of the term, i.e., the law of neutrality. It does not favour any warring party militarily. However, the Federal Council used the leeway allowed by its neutrality policy in deciding to adopt the EU's sanctions against Russia, taking into account the fact that Russia's military aggression against Ukraine is a serious violation of the most fundamental norms of international law.

Full, effective implementation of the sanctions imposed is a priority for the Federal Council. Cooperation between Switzerland and its international partners functions smoothly in this area at the technical level, with those responsible in the Federal Administration exchanging information with sanctioning authorities from various countries on a daily basis. The exchange of information is possible under the Embargo Act and is actively practised by the Swiss authorities. Switzerland is determined to continue its good cooperation with partner countries in a constructive manner, based on shared values and objectives, and to intensify it where necessary.

Measures related to the situation in Ukraine (SECO) (de,fr,it)
Questions and answers on Switzerland's neutrality

In March 2022, the Federal Council decided initially to activate protection status S, which grants asylum seekers from Ukraine a right of residence without having to go through the usual asylum procedure. In September 2024, the Federal Council announced that it would keep the S protection status in place until March 2026, unless long-term stability returns to Ukraine before that date. By the end of December 2024, Switzerland had granted protection status S to more than 113,000 people from Ukraine, of whom more than 67,000 had active S status at the end of December 2024.

Within the framework of the Moldova Support Platform, Switzerland has agreed to take in 500 Ukrainian refugees who are currently in Moldova. Under this project, 277 people have so far been admitted to Switzerland (as at end December 2024). Furthermore, Switzerland has taken in civilians from Ukraine for treatment of acute physical illnesses. In addition, other particularly vulnerable groups including orphans and foster children have found refuge in Switzerland.

The reception and care of Ukrainians seeking protection and the high number of asylum seekers in Switzerland are placing a significant demand on the asylum system. The cantons and communes in particular are required to provide longer-term accommodation for asylum-seekers.

In order to facilitate the integration of persons with protection status S into the labour market, self-employment is permitted in addition to salaried employment. Before taking up self-employment, however, the given individual must obtain a permit from the appropriate cantonal authorities. Furthermore, in April 2022 the Federal Council decided on additional integration measures for persons with protection status S, in particular for promoting language learning and entering the job market. In November 2023, the Federal Council also decided that the employment rate for people with S status should be increased to 40% by the end of 2024. On 8 May 2024 a package of national measures was launched to help integrate such people into the labour market. The federal government, cantons, social partners and organisations concerned should work more closely together so that even more S status holders can be integrated into the labour market. On 20 September 2024, the Federal Council approved a package of laws and other measures to further promote the professional integration of persons with protection status. Among other things, the existing requirement to obtain a permit to take up employment will be replaced by a simple obligation to register, and it will be possible for employed persons to extend the departure period to 12 months when their protection status is rescinded.

Information for refugees from Ukraine (SEM)
A job in Switzerland – Working, it's worth it. For everyone.

In parallel to the work of the FDFA/SDC and SECO, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) supports projects being implemented by international organisations and NGOs in Ukraine's EU neighbouring countries as part of the second Swiss contribution's Rapid Response Fund. Sixteen projects have received support totalling about CHF 21 million since 2022. Eight projects are currently active. The projects cover integration, infrastructure and asylum processes.

The SEM is also assisting Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, a non-EU state, with CHF 1.6 million from 2023 to 2025 for a UNHCR project for the implementation of temporary protection status as well as the integration of Ukrainian asylum-seekers in the local labour market.

Information for refugees from Ukraine (SEM)

In parallel to the work of the FDFA/SDC and SECO, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is currently supporting nine projects in Ukraine's neighbouring countries. Eight of these, amounting to a total of around CHF 10 million, are being implemented by international organisations and NGOs in Ukraine's EU neighbouring countries as part of the second Swiss contribution's Rapid Response Fund. These projects cover integration, infrastructure and asylum processes. The same instrument was used previously to support IOM and UNICEF appeal measures in the same region with CHF 5 million each.

The SEM is also assisting Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, a non-EU state, with CHF 1 million in 2023/24 for a UNHCR project for the implementation of temporary protection status as well as the integration of Ukrainian asylum-seekers in the local labour market.

Since the start of the war, Switzerland has provided around CHF 4.37 billion to support people from Ukraine both in Switzerland and abroad (as at 31 December 2024).

Around CHF 630.17 million of this was allocated by the three units responsible for IC (the SDC, SECO and the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) at the FDFA), humanitarian aid and development and economic cooperation measures. This involves, for example, the delivery of relief goods, support for health systems, decentralisation, digitalisation, vocational education and training, SMEs, and the strengthening of the agricultural sector. Some projects and multilateral funds are set up transnationally. For example, around CHF 50 million of IC spending has been used to help war-affected populations in nearby countries, especially Moldova.

Around CHF 43 million has been spent by the DDPS, consisting mostly of material delivered to Ukraine. This includes fire engines, health equipment and winter clothing.

CHF 3.7 billion of the financial aid has been issued by the SEM and has been used for the reception and support of people with protection status S in Switzerland. This includes, for example, supporting cantons with social welfare benefits, administrative costs and various cantonal support programmes. A small part of the SEM's work also involves supporting projects for Ukrainian refugees in Ukraine's neighbouring countries.

Other federal offices have also been involved in supporting people affected by the war with a contribution of approximately CHF 35 million – to protect cultural property, support Ukrainian researchers in Switzerland and organise the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, for example.

Following Russia's annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, Switzerland decided in 2015 to significantly increase its commitment in Ukraine. The IC budget was almost doubled for the 2015–18 cooperation strategy and has since been further expanded. In addition, the SDC's and SECO's engagement was strengthened by the PHRD (then the Human Security Division) and Swiss Humanitarian Aid. In 2015, several convoys from Switzerland reached the areas in eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia, where they provided the population with chemicals for the treatment of drinking water and medicines. This made Switzerland the first third country to deliver aid on this scale to both sides of the line of contact. In total, from 2014 to 2021 Switzerland provided bilateral IC assistance in Ukraine worth CHF 250 million, of which CHF 41.5 million was allocated to humanitarian aid efforts.

Ukraine (IC)

Switzerland held the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2014. In this capacity, it played a key role in international efforts to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine. Following the Russian annexation of Crimea and the open outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine, the OSCE Permanent Council decided on 21 March 2014 to send a special civilian observation mission to Ukraine. From then on, this mission reported regularly on the security situation and other issues and also provided mediation support. Switzerland's Alexander Hug served as deputy head of mission for several years (2014–18). In response to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the OSCE set up the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG). At high-level negotiations in Minsk, the TCG, together with the Normandy Four (the heads of state and government of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia), agreed on a basis for the further negotiation process. The special representative for Ukraine and the TCG, Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, was appointed by Switzerland's OSCE chairpersonship and was on site at the time. In the context of the TCG negotiations, other Swiss diplomats also took on various key roles – such as Heidi Grau, who served as special envoy from 2020–21 and Toni Frisch, who worked as coordinator of the TCG Humanitarian Working Group (2015–21), as well as various other advisers.