The plan of Germany to create a european missile shieldwhich allows shielding and reinforcing the skies of the Old Continent, received a crucial boost this Thursday with the formal support of 14 NATO countries and Finland, specified in the margins of the meeting of Defense Ministers of the Atlantic Alliance in Brussels. The impulse to the project coincides with the resurgence of the bombings and the indiscriminate attacks of Moscow against the Ukrainian population. “This commitment is all the more crucial as we witness the ruthless and indiscriminate missile attacks of Russia in Ukraine, killing civilians and destroying critical infrastructure,” NATO has assessed.
At the moment there are 14 countries, particularly from northern and eastern Europe, that have signed the declaration of intent to join the so-called “European Sky Shield” (Sky shield in English): Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Romania. He has also signed the letter Finlandwhose accession process is still pending ratification in countries such as Hungary and Turkey.
Instead, neither France, nor Italy nor Spain have embarked on the initiative for now. “Spain is collaborating with Germany on several projects but, in this specific case, we understand that our participation in the NATO anti-missile shield is appropriate, without prejudice to the fact that later, if there is an express request from Germany, we would attend to it”, explained the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, on the reasons why Spain is not part, at least for now, of the plan to create a European air and anti-missile defense system through the joint purchase of air and missile defense equipment.
Sistema compatible
Both air defense systems, that of NATO and that promoted by Berlin, are not incompatible in the eyes of the Alliance. “The new assets, fully interoperable and seamlessly integrated into NATO’s air and missile defenses, would significantly enhance our ability to defend the Alliance from all air and missile threats,” said Allied Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoanăon an initiative that will help strengthen NATO’s integrated air and missile defense.
As announced by the German Defense Minister, Christina Lambrechtthe first decisions on the purchase of Patriots missiles and the air defense system IRIS-Twhich is developed by the German company Diehlwill be taken “quickly” although on the table there is also the possibility of acquiring a third system, the Israeli Arrow3 and other short-range systems designed to protect smaller areas or military convoys.
Spanish Hawk missile launcher
Beyond staging support for the German initiative, the ministerial meeting has served to once again close ranks with Ukraine and accelerate the shipment of weapons and military equipment, something that at the gates of winter becomes more pressing. The allied countries – the United States, Germany or France – have committed themselves in particular to sending air defense systems while spain, as announced by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, has announced the dispatch of four Hawk missile launchers to reinforce air defense. In addition, as part of the comprehensive assistance package, which includes fuel, winter clothing and medical supplies, NATO will “soon deliver to Ukraine” hundreds of drone jammers to disable Russian and Iranian-made drones and protect the Ukrainian population and critical infrastructure.
“It is very important to continue supplying material of all kinds to Ukraine. For that, we appeal to each of the countries, to the industries that must provide material, so that they can speed up production and thus facilitate sending material to Ukraine“, explained Robles, who recalled that the shipment of weapons by Spain has been continuous, as well as humanitarian material, and that they have offered the EU “to count on Spain in the training mission for Ukrainian soldiers.
nuclear threat
New warnings to Moscow have also come out of the meeting in the face of the escalation of nuclear rhetoric. The NATO secretary general has also warned the Kremlin again of the “serious consequences” that the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would have, although he has admitted that the possibility that the allies respond with the same coin is “remote” although they take the threat very seriously. “The use of any kind of nuclear weapon would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict and would have serious consequences“, he insisted without clarifying what the allied response would be. “We are not going to say exactly how we would respond, but it would change the nature of the conflict and it would mean crossing an important line. Even the use of a small nuclear weapon would be serious, “he warned. The allied leader also recalled that NATO will hold routine nuclear exercises next week, which are carried out every year to ensure that capabilities remain safe and effective. .