Von der Leyen’s feedback got here only some hours after Poland scrambled fighter jets to shoot down Russian drones that entered its airspace. Again in June, Romania additionally despatched warplanes to watch Russian drones approaching its border.
Wednesday’s incident over Poland has been perceived by Western allies as a means for Russian President Vladimir Putin to check NATO’s defenses.
Entrance-line nations — particularly Poland, Estonia and Lithuania — have lengthy known as for the EU to contribute financially to the protection of their borders. They argue their efforts will defend the bloc as an entire in opposition to any assault from Russia, as navy and intelligence high brass have warned previously that Putin may goal Baltic nations or Poland to check NATO’s mettle.
They’ve efficiently pushed for cash from the EU’s loans-for-weapons SAFE scheme to be simply out there for gadgets together with drones and anti-drone methods.
Warsaw launched a challenge final yr dubbed East Protect that goals to strengthen the Polish border with Russia and Belarus, whereas Baltic nations are beginning to educate kids to construct and fly drones. Nations resembling Lithuania are additionally behind the concept of a “drone wall,” which they see as a everlasting presence of unmanned aerial autos on their borders to watch threats.
A couple of days earlier than giving her State of the Union tackle, von der Leyen went on a front-line state tour that took her to nations together with Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
