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Brussels – The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, defended on Wednesday that the anti-drone wall that the European Union plans to implement in response to Russia’s “hybrid war” should also cover the southern flank and address threats such as illegal migration or natural disasters, as demanded by Spain, Italy, and Greece.
In a debate in the European Parliament on the response to the crisis of drones that invaded European airspace, the community president emphasized that these incidents are “calculated” and not “random harassment.”
“It is a coherent and growing campaign to destabilize our citizens, test our determination, divide our Union, and weaken our support for Ukraine,” she highlighted before the MEPs in Strasbourg, stressing that “it is time to call it by its name: it is a hybrid war and it must be taken seriously.”
The leader of the European Executive insisted that these incidents are part of a pattern of “growing threats” that also includes cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns, and cuts to undersea cables.
“It is a growing campaign to divide our Union and weaken our support for Ukraine,” she warns
For all these reasons, the German conservative defended the establishment of an anti-drone wall, as part of ‘Eastern Sentinel’, the major defense project designed to reinforce the eastern flank in all its aspects, to “respond” to the “deliberate campaigns” against Europe and defend the territory of the Union.
“We need a system that is affordable and suitable for its purpose. For rapid detection, rapid interception, and, when necessary, rapid neutralization,” she emphasized, insisting that the project will “monitor and protect” the skies, seas, and territory of the eastern flank countries, considering that this region is the “priority,” but she advocated expanding the system to the entire Union.
360º SECURITY APPROACH AND RESPONDING TO OTHER THREATS
Von der Leyen stated that “it is not just about the eastern border” and that the EU must have a “360-degree” approach to have “a shield for the entire Union, including the southern flank.”
She thus advocated that the anti-drone wall should also be able to respond to “a wide spectrum of challenges,” including responses to natural disasters or the fight against organized crime.
In this way, she responds to the reservations expressed by Spain, Greece, and Italy, which at the last informal summit of the 27 leaders in Copenhagen reiterated that the Union’s borders are “very extensive” and called for the security system not to focus solely on the eastern flank.
Specifically, Spain insisted on applying a 360-degree vision to European defense strategies and that security issues also take into account the “climate emergency.”
MAJORITY SUPPORT FROM THE GROUPS
The main groups in the European Parliament have expressed their support for the project that Brussels wants to implement, with the MEP from the PP Esteban González Pons noting that the anti-drone shield sends a “message of unity” while warning that against the million-dollar military policies, drones dominate the battlefield in Ukraine. “In Ukraine, mice make elephants flee, but we keep thinking about elephants,” he warned.
In this regard, he emphasized that if Russian President Vladimir Putin attacks Europe, it will be with a drone “without a flag, almost undetectable” and designed by “a small group of students.” “He does not seek to gain territory but influence. In his world, open war replaces deterrence, and if we do not show him that we are ready to respond, we will not be able to deter him,” he pointed out.
From the socialist side, the head of the delegation in the Eurochamber, Iratxe Garcia, defended creating a common air defense project, as well as the anti-drone shield, capable of defending Europe, “its sky and its future.”
She called for strengthening Ukraine and taking a tougher stance against Russia, warning that appeasement does not work with Putin, who she said will only negotiate when he thinks he is losing the war. “Only the EU can guarantee Ukraine’s survival, and our security depends on that,” she argued.
The MEP from ERC, Diana Riba, warned that incursions into airspace are not isolated and follow the wave of the “hybrid strategy that seeks to test Europe as a democratic project.” After warning of the risk of acting from urgency and with scattered actions, she emphasized that Europe defends itself with “more than weapons” and through “the conviction to defend its values with nails and teeth.” (October 8)