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UKRAINE

Zurich offers CHF500 per person to encourage Ukrainian refugees to return

Ukrainian refugees in the canton of Zurich have been offered CHF500 to return home, as part of Switzerland’s return assistance program.

Published: 15 July 2022 17:35 CEST
Ukrainian refugees exit a plane chartered by a Swiss millionaire at Zurich Airport, on March 22, 2022. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP
Ukrainian refugees exit a plane chartered by a Swiss millionaire at Zurich Airport, on March 22, 2022. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have arrived in Switzerland since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. 

Zurich, Switzerland’s most populous canton, has been a popular destination for many fleeing the conflict in their homeland. 

On Tuesday, authorities said they were offering each Ukrainian CHF500 in assistance to return to Ukraine, should they wish to do so. 

Multiple family members can take a payment, with a maximum of CHF2,000 offered per family. 

The money has been offered under Switzerland’s ‘return assistance program’, a federal scheme “aimed at facilitating the voluntary return of migrants to their country of origin and their reintegration.” 

In addition to the money, Switzerland offers counselling and medical assistance to refugees who wish to return. 

Generally anyone who wants to take advantage of the program is entitled to a maximum of CHF1,000, although the Swiss government works with the cantons to set the cost differently for each country. 

‘We already have a number of applications’

Zurich councillor Mario Fehr said arrivals to Switzerland had already taken advantage of the program. 

“We already have a number of applications,” he said on Tuesday. 

As it stands, Switzerland’s special ’S Permit’ status for Ukrainian arrivals is set to expire in March 2022, although it can be extended. 

Fehr defended the plan, saying it was developed to be supportive rather than to push refugees to relocate. 

City councilor Raphael Golta noted that cantonal authorities were finding it difficult to provide for the new arrivals. 

“We are planning with different variants and want to communicate in late summer. At best , container and tent settlements come into question.”

Around 2,000 people in Zurich have received S Permit status. 

Is Switzerland tiring of Ukrainian refugees?

We all remember heartbreaking photos of Ukrainian women and children fleeing the war after Russia invaded their country on February 24th.

Like many other European nations, the Swiss opened their hearts and borders to these people, with both the government and population moved by empathy toward the innocent victims of war.

ANALYSIS: Why is Swiss solidarity with Ukrainian refugees waning?

Swiss authorities even activated a special permit, the so-called Status S, authorising Ukrainian refugees to live and work in Switzerland for up to a year — a period that could be extended if the war isn’t over by then.

Refugees from other countries meanwhile have to wait for three months before seeking permission to work in Switzerland.

Status S also grants Ukrainians free health care, language courses, as well as financial aid, the amount of which depends on the canton of residence.

Initially they were entitled to free use of public transport across Switzerland, but that perk expired on May 31st, with some cantons replacing the federal scheme with their own free, limited-zone transport schemes.

READ MORE: Switzerland’s special ‘S permit’ visa program: What Ukrainians need to know

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UKRAINE

Switzerland to host Ukraine peace conference without Russian involvement

The Swiss government on Wednesday announced that it would host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine in mid-June, but said Russia would not attend.

Published: 10 April 2024 17:06 CEST
Switzerland to host Ukraine peace conference without Russian involvement

The conference will take place at the luxury Burgenstock resort near the central city of Luzern on June 15th -16th and would be hosted by Swiss President Viola Amherd.

“This is a first step in a process towards a lasting peace,” she told reporters in Bern.

Russia quickly slammed the planned conference and Amherd acknowledged that “we will not sign a peace plan at this conference”, but said she hoped “there will be a second conference”.

“We hope to start the process.”

Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and is putting Ukrainian forces under new pressure, condemned the event as being part of a scheme by US President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party ahead of this year’s presidential election.

“American Democrats, who need photos and videos of events that supposedly indicate their project ‘Ukraine’ is still afloat, are behind this,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

Switzerland hopes to get Russia into later talks.

The government said in January, during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that it wanted to organise a peace conference this year.

‘Support for peace’

The government said in a statement Wednesday that it “took note of the results of the exploratory phase of the high-level conference on peace in Ukraine”.

It determined that “there is currently sufficient international support for a high-level conference to launch the peace process.”

In January, Zelensky spoke of a “summit” without any Russian participation.

But traditionally neutral Switzerland wants to find a way to bring the Kremlin into the talks, and has been battling to attract China and other emerging powers.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis also tried to woo Moscow, meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York in January.

Russia, angered by the Swiss decision to follow the neighbouring European Union in imposing sanctions, has charged the country can no longer be considered neutral.

On Wednesday, Cassis acknowledged Russia’s absence from the table but stressed that the aim was to include Moscow in future talks.

“A peace process cannot happen without Russia, even though it will not be there during the first meeting,” he said.

Since deciding that it wanted to host a conference, the Swiss government said it had been “in direct contact with numerous states to explore options for initiating a peace process”.

Switzerland had held talks with G7 member states, the EU and representatives of the Global South, including China, India, South Africa and Brazil, it said.

Bern did not disclose who would be attending, but Swiss media reports said US President Joe Biden would be on the list.

The conference will be aimed at establishing “a forum for a high-level dialogue on ways to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine in accordance with international law and the UN Charter,” the government said.

“It aims to create a common understanding of a framework favourable to this objective and a concrete roadmap for Russia’s participation in the peace process.”

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