Why Scholz Wants to Buy US, Israeli Missile Systems for European Missile Shield

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned against relying too much on the US in terms of creating a European air defense system, in comments which signal discrepancies between NATO members on military issues.

Speaking at a defense conference in Paris, Macron said: “When we’re talking about air defense, it would be wrong to rush on the capacity issue.”

“If we first adopt a capacity-base approach, we end up massively buying what’s available on the shelves, even if it’s useless — and that generally means massive non-European purchases,” the French president added.

He called for the creation of a fully-fledged European missile shield rather than relying on a system built from American and Israeli components, in an apparent nod to German-led plans to implement the so-called European Sky Shield project.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier told reporters that, “With the European Sky Shield Initiative, we are bringing together European states to jointly increase protection against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.” He kept mum on France’s objections to the initiative.

Analysis

US Designed European Sky Shield Initiative to Escalate Tension With Russia, Analyst Says

15 October 2022, 13:57 GMT

When asked what is behind Scholz's drive to buy missile shields made in the US and Israel, Russian military expert Yury Knutov told Sputnik that unlike the European air defense system MAMBA jointly manufactured by France and Italy, both Arrow 3s and Patriots were previously effectively tested in combat.

“On the other hand, we know that the German chancellor is under Washington’s thumb, namely, he often makes decisions to the detriment of his country’s national interests and for the good of Washington. Seemingly, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has some serious 'dirt' on Scholz, and owing to this dirt they can tighten the screws on him,” Knutov said.

He added that Macron, for his part, is trying his best to lobby for the creation of a European army and a European air defense system. Knutov suggested that the Europeans have all the necessary potential to create their own missile shield that covers them from possible strikes from what they see as “unfriendly countries”.

“Therefore, I believe that Macron's idea aims to resolve two purposes. The first one pertains to obtaining a certain independence from the US, while the second goal is related to the French president’s desire to keep money directly in the EU budget. […] So it’s safe to speak about purely political undertones here, something that prevails over military underpinnings,” the Russian expert noted.

Touching upon Washington’s role in prompting 16 European NATO member states to join the European Sky Shield Initiative, Knutov underscored that at present, the US “has practically brought all European states to heel."

“And although France has been trying to portray some political independence, in my opinion, it is forced nonetheless, to march in lockstep with the policy course that Washington sets,” he stressed.

With the US continuing to expand its clout in Europe, America will not let the Europeans build their own air defense system, according to the Russian expert. He concluded that if ever created, “this will be a combined system to include both European and American components."

European Sky Shield Initiative: Why Does Scholz Want US and Israeli Missile Systems?