President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, stated that Russia’s repeated violations of EU airspace are part of a deliberate campaign to pressure Europe.
Source: “Espreso”
“One incident can be a mistake. Two — a coincidence. But three, five, ten? That’s a deliberate shadow campaign against Europe. Russia wants to sow discord, and we respond with unity,” von der Leyen emphasized.
According to her, NATO’s Italian pilots have already intercepted Russian aircraft over Estonia, while Ukrainian specialists are helping EU countries develop effective anti-drone systems.
Von der Leyen called for the creation of strategic rapid-response capabilities:
“Europe must be able to act in real time. This work has already begun.”
The European Commission is preparing to present the “Readiness 2030” program, which envisions rearming the EU by the end of the decade. According to von der Leyen, this will be the largest increase in defense spending in the Union’s history — up to 800 billion euros.
One of the key components will be the creation of a “drone wall” — a system for the rapid detection, interception, and neutralization of threats. The EU plans to actively draw on Ukraine’s experience, as the country has already demonstrated an innovative approach to drone technologies.
The European Commission is also developing an initiative to monitor the air, sea, and land on NATO’s eastern flank to strengthen the region’s defense infrastructure.
At the end of her speech, von der Leyen stressed that countering Russia’s hybrid warfare requires not only military but also technological and informational readiness:
“This is about drone software, cybersecurity, and media literacy. We must deter anyone who seeks to harm us.”
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