FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The war in Ukraine seems to have shaken Switzerland's neutrality. Switzerland reportedly wants to join the European air defense umbrella Sky Shield.
The European Sky Shield is a common air defense scheme created by Germany last year to boost European air defenses, an issue that has come into sharper focus since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Viola Amherd, the Swiss defense minister, will sign a declaration of intent to join the program during a meeting with her counterparts from Austria and Germany on Friday.
" Switzerland wants to participate in the European Sky Shield Initiative and a declaration of intent will be signed in Bern ," the defense ministry said, confirming an earlier report by broadcaster SRF.
Seventeen European countries have so far signed up to the project, including Germany, Great Britain, Finland and Sweden. It aims to reduce costs for countries by coordinating their procurement of air and missile defense systems, such as the Patriot missile system.
But this move has also met with a lot of opposition and criticism, as many say that such a move is incompatible with Switzerland's long tradition of neutrality.
" This does not fit with a strictly neutral Switzerland ," said Werner Gartenmann, from the lobby group Pro Schweiz.
He said he was worried by the move, as it would make Switzerland militarily dependent on foreign countries and NATO and turn the country into a target for attack.
Lini një Përgjigje