European Union Moves Toward Unified Air Defence System Proposed by Greece and Poland

Cologne: The European Union is contemplating the creation of its own air defence shield following support from bloc leaders for a Greek-Polish proposal this week. The initiative was introduced by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who pitched the idea to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month. 

After von der Leyen, seeking a second term in the upcoming elections, quickly endorsed the proposal, EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell also signalled his support. "I welcome that member states say that to defend our airspace, why should we look at that in a fragmented manner?" Borrell remarked before a May 28 meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. 

Details and Challenges of the Proposal 

Borrell highlighted the complexities involved in the initiative. "But the devil is in the details," he noted. "Where will these air defences be put? At the border? Which border? With which capacities? With which funding?" In their letter, Mitsotakis and Tusk envisioned "a comprehensive air defence system to protect our common EU airspace against all the incoming threats," citing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine as a primary motivation. 

Beyond the military advantages, the leaders argued that a joint "flagship" program would demonstrate EU unity in defence matters. This stance can be seen as a subtle critique of Berlin's European Sky Shield Initiative, which began in 2022 and now includes 21 member countries. The German initiative emerged in response to Russia's missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian areas. 

Strategic Implications of Coordinate National Procurements 

Poland's Tusk has expressed interest in joining the German-led initiative but has faced opposition from President Andrzej Duda. The European Sky Shield Initiative aims to coordinate national procurements and ensure interoperability between different air defence systems. However, not all EU member states support it, partly due to its reliance on non-European hardware such as the Israeli-American Arrow 3 missile and the U.S. Patriot system. 

German officials have responded cautiously to the Greek-Polish proposal, emphasizing that any new initiative should not interfere with their existing plans. "NATO remains the biggest and most important defence alliance for Europe," said State Secretary Siemtje Möller. She suggested that the EU could use its procurement and funding channels to support Germany's initiative. 

The Foreign Affairs Council meeting ended without any concrete actions on the proposal. Officials in Berlin and Brussels reported that the Greek-Polish initiative was only briefly mentioned. A German government spokesperson stated that the proposal was discussed peripherally, while an EU spokesperson clarified that formalizing national proposals was not the council's primary function. 

The debate over the air defence shield underscores the EU's ongoing efforts to enhance its collective security in the face of external threats. As discussions continue, the proposal's feasibility and potential impact on existing defence frameworks remain key considerations for EU leaders.