The EU is preparing a protocol on security emergencies as part of its response to hybrid attacks that do not reach the threshold of armed aggression. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this upon arriving at the EU defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels on September 28, UNN reports.
Yes, we will discuss hybrid attacks in the EU and, in fact, a broader strategy against hybrid attacks. We will also propose a protocol on [security] emergencies. So, for everything that falls below the threshold of armed aggression, how can we act together with the European Commission, the member states, and also the EEAS? What tools can we use at different levels? We will propose this, and we will also discuss it
Asked to give her "honest opinion: is Europe ready for an attack by Russia "tomorrow"", Kallas said: "It is important to understand that we have done more to become more resilient. The member states are spending 2.2% of their GDP overall on defense, so this also acts as a deterrent."
"But we need to remain vigilant, because we see from intelligence that Russia is planning more acts of sabotage and actual attacks on our democracy, to divide our society, intimidate our societies, and dissuade them from helping Ukraine. So, this is what they have in mind, and we must also remember this in order to counter these threats. Also, when we have intelligence, we must be able to respond before these attacks actually take place," she emphasized.