[Aljazeera] While Finland and Sweden appear keen on membership, there is little public or political support for joining the alliance in historically neutral Switzerland.The security architecture on the European continent is changing dramatically as Russia extends its war on Ukraine.
While Finland and Sweden are increasingly likely to join NATO, closer cooperation with the alliance is also the subject of a lively discussion in Switzerland.
But will the mountainous, landlocked Central European country abandon its principle of neutrality and make a bid to the Washington-led Western military alliance?
Laurent Goetschel, director of swisspeace and professor of political science at the University of Basel, told Al Jazeera there could be some advantages.
"The country might benefit from additional networks regarding intelligence and other security-related exchange formats," said Goetschel, adding NATO would have an additional member and there would be "no discussions anymore about being allowed to use Swiss airspace — or even land routes — for transports and communication".
But he added: "Neutrality is historically rooted in the two past centuries, when it served the country to maintain its independence in a Europe characterised by major wars. It also helped national cohesion, when parts of the population would rather have supported France and other parts of Germany.
"Over the years and through its success, neutrality became part of Swiss national identity. By now, it still represents the county’s major foreign policy orientation."
