The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI)Europe is actively trying to prepare for the new scenario of a massive Russian-style air attack, notably through a series of more or less promising initiatives, including the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI).Launched in October 2022 by Germany, the ESSI is both a sign of renewed awareness and a marker of a certain disunity among European countries on this issue. The initiative—not linked to the European Union—today brings together 23 European countries: Albania, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the UK, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Czechia, Türkiye and Hungary.
