Berlin reacts to Donald Tusk’s idea with caution. “The government has taken note”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched an initiative for joint air defense over the EU. The heads of government of both countries sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in which they appealed for the creation of an air defense shield and a discussion on this topic at the June EU summit.

Air defense shield. Safe skies over Europe

“Europe will be safe as long as the sky above it is safe,” write Tusk and Mitsotakis. Therefore – as they argue – Europe needs a new flagship European air defense shield program. Under it, the European Union would build a comprehensive air defense system that would protect the EU against “all upcoming threats,” such as planes, missiles and drones.

As we read in the letter, the shield will strengthen European deterrence and the overall defense capabilities of the Community. Moreover, it will encourage the European defense industry to develop cutting-edge technologies.

Berlin’s restrained reaction to Donald Tusk’s initiative

Berlin reacted restrainedly to the initiative of Poland and Greece. German government deputy spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said on Friday that Olaf Scholz’s government “took note of the initiative.” At the same time, Hoffmann referred to the existing German project to strengthen air defense in Europe. The so-called ESSI (European Sky Shield Initiative) already covers 21 countries. It was launched after Russia started the war in Ukraine and is intended to help fill gaps in NATO’s defense shield for Europe. For this purpose, for example, joint procurement for the defense industry is planned.

Another EU defense project

In the case of the Polish-Greek initiative, it is an additional EU project. In their letter to the head of the European Commission, Tusk and Mitsotakis do not mention the German initiative. As the German press agency DPA writes, one of the important supporters of the Polish-Greek initiative may be French President Emmanuel Macron.

France has not yet joined the German project, which also assumes the procurement of non-European military technology (e.g. the American Patriot air defense system). A spokesman for Germany’s defense ministry said on Friday that if the EU wanted to contribute to strengthening air defense in Europe (for example through financial support), it would be “more than welcome.”