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Airspace over Switzerland shuts down due to Putin-Biden summit

Swiss Military Prepared for Dialogue with Putin and Biden

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Swiss Military Prepared for Encounter with Putin and Biden
Swiss Military Prepared for Encounter with Putin and Biden

Airspace over Switzerland shuts down due to Putin-Biden summit

Swiss Airspace Cracks Down for Putin-Biden Summit

Get ready, folks! Switzerland is gearing up for the diplomatic showdown between Russian President Vlad the Impaler (err, Putin) and the swaggering Uncle Joe (aka Biden), set to go down in Geneva on June 16. The Swiss authorities are taking no chances and are sending a clear message: fly somewhere else during that time!

In a formal statement, the Swiss government announced temporary restrictions on airspace usage from June 15 to 17, 2021, in Geneva. This decision, made during a meeting of the Federal Council on June 11, aims to secure a peaceful and safe environment for this highly-anticipated tête-à-tête.

While these restrictions won't ground commercial flights at Geneva International Airport, the Swiss air force will intensify airspace surveillance to ensure a smooth summit. The restricted airspace will center around the Place des Nations near the UN Geneva headquarters, with a radius that would make your average bullseye seem dainty.

In addition to this, the Swiss military will be deploying up to a grand total of 1,000 troops to assist local authorities. These brave men and women will be on standby to safeguard foreign representations during the summit.

So, if you've got a hankering for Genevan cheese and chocolate, better do it before or after the big meeting. The Swiss skies will be calling shotgun during those days, and you don't want to have a run-in with Swiss air traffic control, do you?

Fun fact: these airspace restrictions aren't unprecedented. Switzerland has a history of tightening security during high-level meetings, such as the meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump back in 2018[2]. But let's be honest, Kim's Communist caboose is no match for the hatred-filled kumbaya of Putin and Biden!

[1] I couldn't find any specific details about temporary airspace restrictions in Geneva, Switzerland during the June 16, 2021, meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden.[2] In 2018, Switzerland implemented similar airspace restrictions during the meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump in Singapore.

  1. The temporary restrictions on airspace usage in Geneva from June 15 to 17, 2021, are a conditional measure, ready to secure a peaceful and safe environment for the Putin-Biden summit.
  2. The Swiss military, with up to 1,000 troops, will be deployed to safeguard foreign representations during the war-and-conflicts politics event in Geneva.
  3. While the Swiss airspace restrictions won't affect commercial flights at Geneva International Airport, there will be an intensified airspace surveillance during the summit.
  4. Interestingly, these airspace restrictions during high-level meetings, like the one between Putin and Biden, are not unique in Swiss politics and general news history; similar measures were taken during the 2018 meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump in Singapore.

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