Switzerland signs memorandum to join European air defence system Sky Shield

Viola Amherd met with her German and Austrian counterparts, announcing Switzerland's participation in the air defence system. © Keystone / Alessandro Della Valle

Switzerland’s Defence Minister Viola Amherd on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding to participate in the European air defence system Sky Shield.

Amherd announced the decision during a meeting in Bern with her German and Austrian counterparts, Boris Pistorius and Klaudia Tanner. 

When asked about the delicate issue of Switzerland’s neutrality, the minister answered: “Neutrality is not universally understood”.  

The Sky Shield initiative currently consists of 17 countries, most of which are NATO members. Switzerland, as a neutral state, was able to register its reservations in a supplementary declaration. “We will decide for ourselves to what extent we want to participate here,” explained Amherd.

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This commitment concerns the joint acquisition of a European missile defence shield as part of the European Sky Shield initiative. But the Swiss participation poses some serious challenges to the country’s historical neutrality policy because it includes the exchange of information and cooperation in the operation of defence systems, explains Swiss public television SRF reporter Dominik Meier.

The Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) told SRF External linkthat there are no plans to combine the air defence systems of individual countries. Rather, the focus is on better coordination of air defence procurement and maintenance at a European level, which would reduce costs, as well as better coordination of training and logistics.

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Amherd said that “the war in Ukraine has shaken the understanding of security in Europe”, and therefore international cooperation is now more important than ever. The initiative was launched by Germany in August 2022 to help fill in the gaps in European skies against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Finally, Amherd also underlined the importance of Switzerland’s involvement in the initiative to address the problematic situation in the Western Balkans. “The recent riots in Kosovo are worrying. The country needs Switzerland on site,” she concluded.