Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: The Print
Context: Austria and Switzerland, traditionally neutral countries, have joined the ‘European Sky Shield Initiative’ (ESSI) for air defence in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
About ESSI:
The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is a regional grouping of European countries aimed at developing a common air and missile defence system. It focuses on acquiring air defence equipment and missiles collectively to strengthen NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD)
The ESSI now has 19 member states, with the goal of leveraging existing NATO cooperation frameworks for defence. It was spearheaded by Germany in 2022.
