Austria, Costa Rica and Malta: neutral but unlike Switzerland

The war in Ukraine has reignited the debate on neutrality. While the Swiss model stands out as an exception, several other states also continue to claim neutrality. Behind this term, however, lie very different realities. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and growing security tensions have put neutrality under pressure around the world. The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO in 2023 and 2024 have reduced the number of neutral countries to around ten, according to the list compiled by the…