Europe's Drone Wall: A Strategic Defense Against Russian Incursions

Four Russian violations against three NATO countries in nine days have heightened tensions along the alliance's eastern flank. Now, a European 'drone wall' against Russia may be on the horizon.

This is not a brand-new proposal.

As early as spring 2024, Lithuania suggested a joint 'drone wall' stretching from Poland in the south to Norway in the north, passing through the Baltic countries and Finland, along their eastern borders with Russia.

However, following recent Russian violations, the idea has gained significant traction on the EU's agenda.

The day after Poland shot down several drones that entered its airspace last week, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe must build a drone wall along the union's eastern border, as reported by the Financial Times.

It would be a 'European capability developed, deployed, and maintained together' that can 'react in real-time,' according to her.

Defense Ministers to Convene

Next week, EU defense ministers will convene to discuss the drone wall.

This was announced by EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius to Reuters last Thursday, a day before the violations of Estonia's airspace and the security zone around the Polish oil and gas platform Petrobaltic in the Baltic Sea.

"We really want to move forward with preparations to close this very dangerous gap for us, as quickly as we can," he told Reuters.

Operational Within a Year

A representative from Ukraine will also participate in the talks next week.

"They are eager to share their experiences and expertise," Andrius Kubilius told Reuters on Thursday.

The exact design, functionality, and cost of the drone wall are not yet clear.

The project will likely consist of a combination of sensors and defense and jamming systems to detect and neutralize drones, writes Reuters.

The hope is to have it operational within a year.