GENEVA - Switzerland's Federal Council on Wednesday approved the country's participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative air defence umbrella, designed to build an integrated air and missile defence system across Europe.

The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is a common air defence scheme set up by Germany in 2022 to boost European air defence, an issue that has come into sharper focus since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Switzerland had signed a declaration of intent to join the programme in July last year.

Several countries, including non-NATO members, have signed up to the project including Germany, Britain and Finland.

The initiative aims to cut costs for countries by coordinating their procurement of air and missile defence systems such as the Patriot missile system. It also aims to enable cooperation in training, maintenance and logistics.

"Even after the signing of the membership declaration, Switzerland remains free to decide where and to which extent it plans to participate in ESSI and which ground-to-air defence systems it plans to acquire," the Federal Council said in a statement.

Neutral Switzerland has come under increasing pressure from its European neighbours since Russia's invasion in February 2022 to support Ukraine militarily by allowing the re-export of Swiss-made armaments. REUTERS