Austria will join the European Sky Shield air defense system, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Saturday. "Austria will join the European Sky Shield air defense initiative," Nehammer said on Twitter. Nehammer noted that the Ukraine conflict and the increased "threat situation" were the main reasons for the country"s joining the initiative. Austria announced on Saturday its intention to join the European Sky Shield initiative, launched in 2022 by Germany against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. "We must and will take precautions to protect our country against the risk of drone or missile attacks," Nehammer said in a press release, citing "a threat that has considerably worsened". Nehammer stressed that the decision did not call into question the neutrality of Austria, which has been a member of the European Union (EU) since 1995. "No European state can effectively defend its airspace against new dangers on its own," Nehammer insisted. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner hailed "an important step in the history" of the country. European defense ministries sharply reduced spending on anti-aircraft equipment following the end of the Cold War, but have revised their positions since Russia"s war in Ukraine last year. In October, Germany and 13 NATO member countries signed a declaration on the creation of a more advanced European air defense system. Led by Germany, 17 European nations, including the UK, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden, have banded together on air defense under the European Sky Shield project. The Sky Shield system would involve joint procurement for short-, medium- and long-range systems, including the German- made Iris-T, the American Patriot and the US-Israeli Arrow-3. Nehammer also added that negotiations to enter the initiative are already under way, but participation in Sky Shield will not affect the neutrality of Austria. Despite the significant progress, France, Italy, and Poland have chosen not to participate in this initiative. France argues in favor of developing a sovereign air defense system utilizing European equipment. The European Sky Shield initiative represents a concerted effort by European nations to address the evolving security landscape and strengthen their collective defense capabilities. With Austria joining this endeavor, the cooperative approach toward protecting European airspace and countering potential threats is further fortified. As the continent faces an increasingly complex and challenging security environment, the initiative serves as a testament to the commitment of European nations to work together in safeguarding their skies. By pooling their resources and expertise, these countries strive to ensure the safety and security of their citizens in the face of emerging threats. — Agencies