Swiss parliamentary committee backs $5.5B aid plan for Ukraine

A Swiss parliamentary committee has voted to allocate 5 billion Swiss francs ($5.5 billion) in aid to Ukraine as part of a broader package of measures aimed at boosting the neutral country's defense capabilities.

That's according to Reuters, Ukrinform reports.

Supported by lawmakers from center-left and center-right parties, the security committee of the upper house of parliament approved the package to provide 10.1 billion francs in additional funds for the army, along with the Ukraine sum.

The plan, which still faces a series of parliamentary hurdles before it can become law, passed by 8 votes to 5, with right-wing parties opposing the deal.

In a statement, parliament said the multi-billion dollar package was conceived as an extraordinary contribution toward the security of Switzerland and "peace in Europe" because of the war being waged by Russia against Ukraine.

The Ukraine part of the package intends to support the reconstruction and repair of day-to-day infrastructure necessary for life and survival in Ukraine, parliament said.

According to the news outlet, Switzerland is under pressure from Western allies to do more to help Ukraine even as right-wing nationalists in parliament press for the country to remain strictly neutral.

Switzerland is to host on June 15-16 a Global Peace Summit - an international meeting at the level of the leaders of the participating countries of the Ukrainian Peace Formula.

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