Austria: Joining the "Sky Shield" will not harm my neutral status as a country. Sky | System | Austria
The Austrian government announced on the 1st that, motivated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it intends to join the "European Sky Shield Initiative" air defense system project. This move has been questioned for violating the country's "military neutrality" stance.
After Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine in February last year, Germany proposed the "European Sky Shield Initiative" aimed at enhancing the air defense capabilities of European member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, especially in areas lacking interception capabilities for drones and missiles.
Prime Minister: No European country can defend its airspace alone from threats
![Austria: Joining the "Sky Shield" will not harm my neutral status as a country. Sky | System | Austria](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/7472fc3c96594608ea336cd3b2b7ca0e.jpg)
Austria is in negotiations with relevant parties to join the project. Prime Minister Nehamer said that Austria made this decision because the Russia-Ukraine conflict had led to "a significant deterioration of the threat situation". Austria must take preventive measures together with other European countries, and no European country can effectively defend its airspace from new threats alone. Austria's move has been questioned for violating its so-called "military neutrality" tradition. According to Nekhamer and Defense Minister Tanner in a joint statement, joining the European "Sky Shield" will not harm Austria's neutral status, as it relates to joining an umbrella aimed at avoiding danger.
17 European countries have joined the Sky Shield and will jointly purchase missile defense systems
As of now, 17 European countries including Germany and the UK have joined the Sky Shield project and will jointly purchase short-range, medium range, and long-range missile defense systems, including German made Iris-T, American made Patriot missile systems, and Israel's Arrow-3 system.
![Austria: Joining the "Sky Shield" will not harm my neutral status as a country. Sky | System | Austria](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/12c46dfe765c0653b708549c21d83828.jpg)