Switzerland’s Federal Council has approved the country’s participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) air defense umbrella, designed to build an integrated air and missile defense system across Europe.
The ESSI is a common air defense scheme set up by Germany in 2022 to boost European air defense, an issue that has come into sharper focus since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Switzerland signed a declaration of intent to join the program in July 2023.
Several countries, including non-NATO members, have signed up for the project, including Germany, Finland, and the U.K.
The initiative aims to cut costs for countries by coordinating their procurement of air and missile defense systems such as the Patriot missile system. It also aims to enable cooperation in training, maintenance, and logistics.
“Even after the signing of the membership declaration, Switzerland remains free to decide where and to which extent it plans to participate in ESSI and which ground-to-air defense systems it plans to acquire,” the Federal Council said in a statement on Wednesday.
Neutral Switzerland has come under increasing pressure from its European neighbors since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 to support Ukraine militarily by allowing the re-export of Swiss-made armaments.
Switzerland signed a declaration of intent to join the program in July 2023.
Several countries, including non-NATO members, have signed up for the project, including Germany, Finland, and the U.K.
The initiative aims to cut costs for countries by coordinating their procurement of air and missile defense systems such as the Patriot missile system. It also aims to enable cooperation in training, maintenance, and logistics.
“Even after the signing of the membership declaration, Switzerland remains free to decide where and to which extent it plans to participate in ESSI and which ground-to-air defense systems it plans to acquire,” the Federal Council said in a statement on Wednesday.
Neutral Switzerland has come under increasing pressure from its European neighbors since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 to support Ukraine militarily by allowing the re-export of Swiss-made armaments.
Source: Reuters
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