Lithuanian foreign minister explains why EU should take Ukraine's experience in countering drones into account

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has said that Ukraine should be fully integrated into plans to create a "drone wall" to protect NATO borders, given its experience and know-how.

Source: Reuters; European Pravda

Details: The EU is considering establishing drone defences along its eastern border – a project that gained urgency after Russian drones entered Polish airspace.

"We have big holes in our EU defence. We lack the right equipment that would allow us to detect drones, to follow them, to track them, and then to destroy them. We lack it," Budrys explained.

He noted that Ukraine repels drone attacks every night and has integrated systems to counter them. 

"We have to bring this technology to the front line and to build it there, build it there so that it will be effective together with Ukrainians," Budrys added.

Regarding Russian incursions into NATO airspace, the Lithuanian minister said Moscow exploits NATO’s hesitations and debates about responses to expand grey zones. 

"We have to also very clearly articulate and show to Russia that further escalation from their side will bring a harsher response," he emphasised.

Background:

• Earlier, European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius called for the urgent development of a drone wall along the EU’s eastern flank in response to Russian violations of Polish airspace. 
• Reports indicate that the EU will rely on technologies that have proven effective in Ukraine when creating the drone wall.

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