The European Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, warned that provocations from Russia could continue for “years.” He made this statement during a speech in the European Parliament. He emphasized the need to strengthen the defense capabilities of the European Union in material, institutional, and financial dimensions.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Drone Threats and Ukraine’s Experience
Kubilius stressed that drones are a key component of modern military actions and provocations, and Europe is not yet prepared for the new challenges in this area. According to him, Russian drones are capable of attacking not only Ukraine but also EU countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and the European coastline from ships. Therefore, all member states need to develop their own capabilities for detecting and countering drones.
“We must learn from Ukraine. The Ukrainian air defense destroys 80% of targets. Ukrainian drones have halted Russia’s advance on land and in the Black Sea, and have devastated the Russian fleet of strategic bombers. Ukraine shows that, in addition to technology, we need integrated command and a new ecosystem for waging war,” he said.
Kubilius emphasized that the Ukrainian experience in air defense serves as a model for all of Europe, as Ukraine effectively counters Russian drones and missiles thanks to modern technologies and coordination.
European Response and Defense Funding
According to the EU Commissioner, for effective defense, EU countries must invest significant funds in developing the necessary capabilities. By 2030, member states could spend up to 2.5 trillion euros on defense. Kubilius also expressed hope that frozen Russian assets will be used to support Ukraine’s defense needs, noting that financial resources for this purpose exist.
In September 2025, several NATO European countries, including Denmark, became targets of drone attacks. The most extensive was the attack on Poland, when about 20 drones violated its airspace on the night of September 10.
On September 19, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland without permission, remaining there for 12 minutes. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the flight was planned and did not violate international law; however, NATO condemned these actions on September 23, placing full responsibility on Russia and labeling them as escalatory.
The Kremlin responded that NATO countries’ statements about the possibility of shooting down Russian aircraft could have dangerous consequences and lead to increased tensions near Russian borders.