2 neutral states, Switzerland and Austria, have joined the European Sky Shield Initiative, an international assistance program for Ukraine. The defence ministers of Austria and Germany arrived in Bern and, together with the Swiss defence minister, signed a memorandum of joint participation in ESSI.
Now 19 European states are already participating in the program, which will jointly coordinate the situation in Ukraine and the areas in which they can help our country. The focus of attention is on protecting the sky over Ukraine because it is with Shaheds and missiles that the Russians kill the civilian population of Ukraine.
We remind you that Austria has previously announced the possible participation of ESSI and met with disagreement on the part of members of the government apparatus. Therefore, in order to defend its position, Austria recorded a separate declaration in which it emphasised its non-participation in armed conflicts.
