The European Commission on Thursday proposed four European flagship defence projects - including a counter-drone system and a plan to fortify the eastern border - as part of a drive to get the continent ready to defend itself by 2030.
The proposals, in a defence policy "roadmap", reflect fears fuelled by the war in Ukraine that Russia may attack an EU member in the coming years, and calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for Europe to do more for its own security.
"Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends. It is clear we need to toughen our defences against Russia," European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a news conference.
"Russia does not have the capacity to attack the European Union today, but it could prepare itself in the years to come" she said.
The Commission said two "flagships" were particularly urgent - the European Drone Defence Initiative, previously known as a "drone wall", and Eastern Flank Watch, which aims to "fortify the EU’s Eastern borders "across land, air and sea".
The Commission, the European Union's executive body, said both projects should have initial capacity by the end of next year. The drone project should be fully functional a year later and "flank watch" should reach that status at the end of 2028.
"Our aim is that by 2030, all current shortfalls are filled" Kallas added.
She also mentioned that work on improving the EU's defence system was already underway as the first meeting of the Drones Coalition took place with the Netherlands and Latvia in the lead.
"Drones are already redefining warfare. Having drone defences is no longer optional for anyone," Kallas told journalists.
It also proposed a European Air Shield, to defend against missiles and other airborne threats, and a European Space Shield, to protect European space assets and services.
Leaders of the EU's 27 member governments will decide whether to endorse the flagship proposals and to agree on who runs projects that get the green light.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that a preliminary agreement with Iran remains fragile, saying Washington could resume military action if Tehra...
China has sanctioned Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his immediate family, banning them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong ...
Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understa...
Three flags, one training ground and a clear message: defence cooperation in the South Caucasus remains firmly on track. Elite special operations unit...
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that a preliminary agreement with Iran remains fragile, saying Washington could resume military action if Tehran fails to meet its commitments.
Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understand his own mixed Nordic identity.
Pakistan will facilitate the return of 30 Iranian nationals as part of what officials described as a humanitarian effort carried out in coordination with international partners.
A British Iranian man has been charged in connection with an arson attack on a memorial wall in north London, an area with a large Jewish population, police have said.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Tuesday, killing at least one person and injuring four, according to emergency authorities.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026, becoming one of the strongest events recorded in seven decades.
Ukraine has said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Moscow region, marking one of the deepest reported attacks into Russian territory in recent months.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that a preliminary agreement with Iran remains fragile, saying Washington could resume military action if Tehran fails to meet its commitments.
China has sanctioned Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his immediate family, banning them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. Beijing says the move responds to repeated remarks by Teodoro that it claims have undermined China's sovereignty and bilateral relations.
The European Commission has announced €493 million in emergency support for the Ebola response, including funding for vaccines, treatment and health security measures.
A British Iranian man has been charged in connection with an arson attack on a memorial wall in north London, an area with a large Jewish population, police have said.
Russia’s fuel market is coming under increasing strain as Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt output at major oil refineries, forcing Moscow to rely more heavily on imports from Belarus, according to sources reported by Reuters.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment