Madam President,
Madam Minister,
Honourable Members,
Something new and dangerous is happening in our skies. In just the past two weeks, MiG fighters have violated Estonias airspace, and drones have flown over critical sites in Belgium, Poland, Romania, Denmark and Germany. Flights have been grounded, jets scrambled, and countermeasures deployed to ensure the safety of our citizens. Make no mistake. This is part of a worrying pattern of growing threats. Across our Union, undersea cables have been cut, airports and logistics hubs paralysed by cyberattacks, and elections targeted by malign influence campaigns. These incidents are calculated to linger in the twilight of deniability. This is not random harassment. It is a coherent and escalating campaign to unsettle our citizens, test our resolve, divide our Union, and weaken our support for Ukraine. And it is time to call it by its name. This is hybrid warfare, and we have to take it very seriously.
To those who still doubt, look at what is happening. One incident may be a mistake. Two, a coincidence. But three, five, ten? This is a deliberate and targeted grey zone campaign against Europe. And Europe must respond. We must investigate every incident. And we must not shy away from attributing responsibility. Because every square centimetre of our territory must be protected and safe.
Honourable Members,
Russia wants to sow division. We have to answer with unity. It was Italian pilots under NATOs air policing mission that escorted Russian jets from Estonian skies. Ukrainian experts are sharing frontline experience to help Member States counter drone incursions. This is solidarity in action. But we must not only react, we must deter. Because if we hesitate to act, the grey zone will only expand.
The founding mission of the European Union is to preserve peace. And today, that means having the capacity to deter aggression and provocation. Europe must urgently equip itself with a strategic capacity to respond. One that is ready to address the changing nature of warfare. We must develop and maintain it together. And we must be capable of responding in real time. That work has already begun. We are seeing the biggest surge in defence spending in the history of our Union. The Readiness 2030 agenda will mobilise up to EUR 800 billion until 2030. Now we need a precise pan-European plan, coordinated closely with NATO, on how to move forward. This is the core of the scoping paper we presented to leaders in Copenhagen last week. And in two weeks, we will present our ‘Preserving Peace – Readiness Roadmap 2030. This will not only set common objectives but also concrete milestones and timelines on the way to 2030. Because only what gets measured, gets really done. Let me focus on three points that are central to this work.
The first point deals specifically with violations of our airspace. I am talking about pan-European flagships like the Eastern Flank Watch and the Drone Wall. The Drone Wall is our response to the realities of modern warfare. Think about what happened in Poland. We had to deploy very expensive systems – latest-generation fighter jets – to take down relatively cheap, mass-produced drones. This is absolutely not sustainable. We need a system that is affordable and fit for purpose. For swift detection, swift interception, and when needed, swift neutralisation. And we have much to learn from Ukraine in this field. Both on capabilities, but even more importantly on their ecosystem of rapid innovation. And Ukraine is ready to support our efforts. The Drone Wall will also contribute to the Eastern Flank Watch. This will monitor and protect the skies, seas and ground of our Eastern members. But it is not only about our Eastern border – at the moment, it is our priority. But what we need is a 360-degree approach. This anti-drone system will be a shield for our entire Union, including the Southern Flank. And it should be designed to address a wide spectrum of challenges. From responding to natural disasters to tackling international organised crime. From monitoring weaponised migration to controlling the Russian shadow fleet, and the list is long. Autonomous systems are at the centre of 21st century security. And Europe must be at the cutting edge.
Honourable Members,
The protection of our people, our skies and our infrastructure require more than drones. And this brings me to my second point – critical capabilities. We have already identified nine critical capabilities – from air defence to cyber and electronic warfare. For each of these, we will form ‘Collective Capability Coalitions – groups of Member States committed to deliver together and fast. We have seen this lead-nation model deliver before. Think of the Czech and Danish-led initiatives to provide weapons and ammunition for Ukraine – very successful. One nation took the lead. Others joined in, to place larger orders. Industry scaled up, and prices went down. We will now expand this across the board.. It is fast. It is efficient. And most importantly, it is made in Europe.
Third, none of this is possible without a strong European defence industry. We need to be able to rely on our own industrial base – especially in critical times. Today, most investment goes outside Europe. In other words – these are jobs outside Europe. This is absolutely not sustainable. Our surge in defence spending must also be an engine for growth here in the European Union. I know that partially that is already happening. New factories and productions lines are springing up across Europe. Our defence industry is hiring thousands of skilled workers, this is also very good. And the spillovers are being felt in other industries too. We have seen it time and again. New technologies born in the defence sectors bringing new applications for civilian industries. From cybersecurity tools to advanced materials for shipbuilding and aerospace. Our new defence investment can and must contribute to Europes competitiveness. It must be based in our Union. That is why at least 65% of any project funded under SAFE must be based in our Union. This is European money and we want to see a return on investment of this European money in jobs here in Europe.
Honourable members,
Tackling Russias hybrid war is not only about traditional defence. It is about software for drones and spare parts for pipelines. It is about rapid cyber-response teams and public information campaigns to spread awareness. This requires a completely new mind-set for all of us. We must be ready to leave our comfort zone. We need to explore new ways of doing things. And most importantly, we must deter everyone who seeks to harm our territory and our people. The choice before us is simple. We can either shy away and watch Russian threats escalate, or we meet them with unity, deterrence and resolve. I know which side we will choose.
Thank you very much and long live Europe.
