Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (V) briefed defense ministers from various EU nations on recent drone incidents in Denmark during a meeting on Friday. The ministers convened to explore the potential establishment of a European “drone wall” along the eastern border of Europe, as reported by the Ministry of Defense via the social media platform X.
The participating countries agreed to advance plans for a drone-focused defense structure. The Ministry stated that European collaboration on a drone wall could bolster Europe’s defense and foster production and innovation within the European drone sector. Furthermore, this initiative could leverage Ukrainian experiences for knowledge sharing and learning.
Representatives from Denmark, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine were present at the meeting. Specific details regarding the composition of the “drone wall” remain unclear and will need to be determined later.
There was consensus on the necessity to accelerate the planning process, with Denmark expressing its readiness to contribute. EU Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius noted that EU nations are transitioning from discussions to actionable steps.
The drone wall is anticipated to feature in the EU Commission’s roadmap for European rearmament through 2030. It will be further discussed at next week’s EU summit in Copenhagen, with plans for formal adoption at the EU summit in Brussels at the end of October.
Kubilius highlighted the pressing challenges ahead and the need for a decisive response, emphasizing the priority of a drone wall equipped with drone detection capabilities. He pointed out the importance of utilizing Ukraine’s experiences from the conflict with Russia, particularly in enhancing detection systems for smaller aerial threats like drones.
While current systems effectively detect larger threats such as fighter jets and missiles, there is a recognized gap in drone detection capabilities. Kubilius encouraged EU nations to utilize funding from the SAFE program to finance the drone wall, noting existing funds in the EU’s EDIP program for joint defense projects.
The initial task will focus on establishing a network of detectors, integrating monitoring systems to identify incoming threats from neighboring nations. Experts expect the first segment of the drone wall to be completed within a year, but Kubilius acknowledged the need to consult with Ukraine regarding their production of drones and anti-drone technologies.
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