Countries on the European Union’s eastern border consider the construction of a so-called “drone wall” to protect against Russian incursions into their airspace an urgent need.
According to reports by the AFP agency and The Guardian newspaper, European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said after a video conference last Friday that “we are defying clear challenges. Russia is testing the EU and NATO, and our response must be firm, united and immediate.” He added that the new initiatives are intended to prevent provocations by the Kremlin, which he described as very dangerous. In his opinion, it is necessary to provide more advanced drone detection systems, which are currently missing in the Union.
Representatives of Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine and finally Hungary took part in the meeting last Friday. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, and a NATO representative were also present. Kubilius expressed his expectation that EU leaders would provide political impetus for progress on the initiative during the October European Council summit in Brussels, with the aim of continuing to prepare a “detailed conceptual and technical plan”.
Before the summit the leaders of the EU members are likely to discuss the issue next week at an informal meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. He also added at the press conference that the ministers had agreed to delegate further negotiations to designated negotiators and that another meeting would be held on the issue soon.
According to him, some experts suggest that the “drone wall” project could be completed within a year, but Kubilius admitted that he was “not sure” about this time estimate. Together with Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, they emphasized that communication with the Ukrainians is important in preparing the project. They are key and have the best knowledge in Europe about what works and what doesn’t, Häkkänen added.
According to diplomatic sources, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen could propose options for financing anti-drone defense early next month.
Discussions on anti-drone protection on the EU’s eastern flank have intensified after recent violations of the airspace of Poland, Romania and Lithuania by Russian drones and after sightings of unmanned aircraft over Denmark. (Based on report by EuropskeNoviny2025.sk)
