Switzerland and Austria Join the European Sky Shield Initiative Neutrality | Austria | Switzerland
The Swiss Federal Council issued a statement on July 7th stating that the defense ministers of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany have signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to join the European Sky Shield Initiative's air defense system project.
On the 7th, Swiss Minister of Defense, Civil Defense, and Sports Viola Amherd, Austrian Minister of Defense Claudia Tanner, and German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius signed a memorandum of understanding in Bern, Switzerland, agreeing for Switzerland and Austria to join the European Sky Shield Initiative.
Switzerland and Austria are not members of NATO and have long held a neutral position in military and other fields, which has been questioned for violating their neutral stance. Switzerland and Austria have stated that they will independently decide on their level of participation and will not participate or be involved in international military conflicts.
After the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, Germany proposed the "European Sky Shield Initiative" aimed at enhancing the air defense capabilities of NATO European member states and creating Europe's air and missile defense systems through joint procurement of equipment, especially in areas lacking interception capabilities for drones and missiles. So far, 17 European countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden have joined the project and will jointly purchase short-range, medium range, and long-range missile defense systems, including German made "infrared imaging successor missile systems", American made "Patriot" missile systems, and Israel's "Arrow-3" system. The French side has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the project, criticizing its excessive reliance on weapon systems manufactured outside of Europe.