Türkiye, Greece To Join German-Led Air Defence Shield Project
Turkiye and Greece have signed a letter of intent to join the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative, a system which aims to strengthen the continent's air and missile defence. The project will allow member states to make cost-effective purchases, while pooling resources, which will include the German-made Iris-T, and the US Patriot missile system.
Turkiye and Greece attended the signing ceremony at last week's NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels. The Sky Shield Initiative was formed in response to Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022, which had raised concerns that Europe's air defense capabilities might be insufficient. But not all European countries are onboard. France, which opposes the German-led air defence project, has instead called for a strategy that relies on systems developed within the continent. Türkiye and Greece's bid to join the European Sky Shield comes as the two neighbors have seen relations vastly improve over the past year, after a series of high-level meetings and visits.
Strait Talk, hosted by Ayse Suberker, is TRT World’s programme that features in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s role in the world.
Guests:
Samuel Doveri Vesterbye
Managing Director at European Neighbourhood Council
Zuhal Mert Uzuner
Associate Professor at Marmara University