Defense ministers from several European nations are discussing ways to boost security along their borders with Russia and Ukraine. A key part of the plan involves creating a “drone wall” to better protect their airspace.
Countries like Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have been considering this project, which would use drones to monitor and respond to potential threats. However, an initial request for EU funding was turned down earlier this year.
Recently, there have been increasing concerns about unauthorized drones entering European airspace. While Russia has been blamed for some incidents, they deny any intentional involvement. In one case, NATO jets had to intercept and shoot down Russian drones that crossed into Polish airspace.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius led a meeting with officials from various countries, including Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and NATO. The goal is to identify what resources each country has, what additional tools they need, and how the EU can help financially.
The main focus is on improving the ability to detect and track small drones and developing a unified response plan. EU leaders are scheduled to discuss the results of the meeting at an upcoming summit.
While the initial efforts will concentrate on the eastern border, there is hope that other European countries will adopt similar measures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the importance of building a drone wall and has proposed allocating billions of euros to support a drone alliance with Ukraine. She stated that Europe must defend its territory and that this drone capability should be developed and deployed jointly to send a clear message of strength and resolve.
