Andrius Kubilius
The European Commission has proposed four key defense projects, including a drone wall to block Russian air aggression. These proposals will be discussed at an informal meeting of EU leaders in Copenhagen.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius stated that European countries had enough time to find alternative sources of energy supply. He also mentioned the "Russian shadow fleet" that creates many problems in the Baltic Sea.
The meeting on the proposed EU 'drone wall' was a 'productive initial exchange'. The next steps involve discussions with other EU member states in a broader format.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius admitted the EU's limited capabilities in detecting drones, especially those flying low. He emphasized the need to implement a "drone wall" project with radars and sensors.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Russia is starting a new stage of escalation and hybrid warfare against the transatlantic community. He noted that the integration of the Ukrainian air defense system into a single European system should become a decisive step to strengthen security.
President Zelenskyy proposed to Poland and its partners to create a joint shield against Russian air threats, citing Ukraine's experience. He also noted that Russia could have used tankers in the Baltic Sea to launch drones.
European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius emphasized the need for the EU to develop additional capabilities to combat drones. He noted that this requires drawing on Ukraine's experience, as well as focusing on drone detection and the use of traditional artillery.
Ukraine has expressed its readiness to participate in the "Drone Wall" project, initiated by the European Commission, and to play an active role in protecting Europe from the Russian drone threat. Kyiv expects to sign a joint declaration with partners in October and is ready to share its experience in the field of unmanned technologies.
The President of the European Commission and EU heads of state will discuss drone incursions at an informal meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen next week. This issue will also be considered at the first meeting on the 'drone wall' on Friday, with the participation of representatives from seven border EU member states, Denmark, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
Slovakia will join the EU-initiated meeting on the "drone wall" on September 26, chaired by European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius. The European Commission expects concrete results and firm commitments from member states regarding this initiative.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius stated that the EU could significantly improve drone detection within a year, but creating a full-fledged network for tracking and destroying targets would take much longer. He noted that Europe needs to follow the example of the Ukrainian military, which has deployed acoustic sensors to detect unmanned aerial vehicles.
The EU has started discussing the creation of a "drone wall" that would protect against further Russian attacks.
EU defense ministers will discuss next week the creation of a "drone wall" along the eastern border after Russian drones invaded Poland. The project involves combining sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare systems to detect and neutralize drones.
After 2022, European defense enterprises tripled the pace of building new production facilities, deploying over 7 million square meters of capacity. This is the largest rearmament surge in the region in decades.
18 EU member states have expressed interest in receiving loans worth 127 billion euros under the SAFE defense instrument. The SAFE program will allow mobilizing up to 150 billion euros in investments, Ukraine expects investments in its defense.
Ukraine's leading allies in Europe plan to approach the EU for tens of billions of euros in loans for joint procurement of weapons for Ukraine and to strengthen their own defense. The SAFE program envisages loans for weapons, financed by EU debt with a 45-year repayment period.
Nine countries have officially expressed interest in borrowing funds from the EU military procurement program SAFE by the deadline. Poland plans to request 25 billion euros, and Greece – at least 1.2 billion euros.
Norway, Ukraine, and Great Britain may join the EU's secure satellite network IRIS², which is an alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink. Norway is already in negotiations, while Ukraine and Great Britain have not yet started them, despite concerns about Starlink's market dominance.
Lithuanian border guards shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle that flew into the country's airspace from the territory of Belarus. The drone was detected 4 km from the border after it was intercepted using special equipment.
EU Commissioner Andrius Kubilius calls on Lithuania and the Baltic states to create a drone shield and establish mass production of drones after a Russian "Gerbera" drone flew into Lithuanian territory. He emphasizes the need to train specialists for rapid drone production.
The European Union and member states have allocated €140 billion in aid to Ukraine, of which €50 billion is military. European Commissioner Kubilius called for integration instead of a logic of aid.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that the EU White Paper opens up new opportunities for Ukraine's integration into European security policy. This became known after a meeting with European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.
Andrius Kubilius said that the EU can increase military aid to Ukraine by buying weapons directly from Ukrainian manufacturers. Ukrainian weapons are twice as cheap as European or American ones.
EU Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has stated that Russia may be ready to attack EU countries in as little as five years. He called on the EU to prepare for possible aggression.
According to Andrius Kubilius, the US is trying to reach a peace agreement on the war in Ukraine, but they need to understand who Putin is. Appeasement of dictators ends badly, they become more aggressive.
The foreign ministers of European countries have declared their readiness to increase pressure on russia with sanctions. This is done to prevent the war and ensure a just peace for Ukraine.
The European Commission has approved the White Paper Readiness 2030 and the ReArm Europe plan. This is a major step towards a safer Europe, aimed at deterring Russia and supporting Ukraine.
The EU plans to develop the defense industry by reducing US support. The priority is to provide Ukraine with weapons, ammunition and strengthen cooperation in the defense sector.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius commented on the US demand for NATO countries to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. He reminded that the US itself spends only 3.5%, while some European countries have already reached 5%.
European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius announced the EU's plans to increase shell production to 2 million units this year. The Ukrainian defense industry has increased production 35 times during this period - to 35 billion euros per year.