Madam chair,
Minister,
Dear colleagues,
Really it was a great debate. A great important debate.
Because the issues which we are discussing are really verycrucial.
Quite many speakers were repeating very well-known truths:
We are not at war, but not at peace either.
We need to recognize, that perhaps it will continue for years to come with provocations, disruptions and sabotage.
So we are really under attack. And we need to be ready for that. To defend and to deter in a united response, as this discussion is called.
What we need to do is clear.
Lets remember the ancient Roman saying: “if you want peace, prepare for war”
Another way: Prepare for surrender, and if you want to have a Putin-style peace.
I would like to remind ourselves: its Russia that waged the war against Ukraine, not Ukraine that attacked Russia.
Its Russia that started provocations against Poland, Baltic states, Copenhagen and other countries in Europe.
Its not the EU, that provokes Russia.
In order to protect peace, we need to ramp up our material defence readiness, first of all, what we are doing.
But also our institutional defence readiness and our political defence readiness.
Either we are politically and practically preparing to deter Putin, or we are fighting each other. Its a choice for each of us.
Russias provocations are reckless, irresponsible and dangerous.
A threat to the people and peace of Europe.
They must serve as a wake up call.
We need to act very practically and effectively.
Drones are the future of war and the future of provocations.
Its a pity that here was a need for recent provocations for us to wake up.
And it appears that were badly prepared for this future.
At the moment, our defences are really not ready to detect drones and to see and to track them when they are crossing our borders.
In addition, shooting down a 10,000 euro drone with a 1 million euro missile is really not sustainable.
And what we need to understand: that all of Europe is under threat,
And I mean all of Europe.
A Russian Geran2 drone has at 2500 kilometre range.
And from Kaliningrad or Belarus, it can hit targets in Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Northern France and Hungary.
And it can reach even Brussels and Strasbourg.
From container ships drones can destroy targets all along the coast of Europe.
The question is, what needs to be done?
There are a lot of things which we are doing and a lot of things which we need to do even more.
But let me concentrate this time on drones and anti-drone capabilities.
There is quite a broad agreement what we need to do.
In the short run we need to develop capabilities to better detect, track and identify drones with acoustic sensors, radars, satellites.
In the long run, capabilities to disarm or destroy drones with drone interceptors, electronic warfare and mobile units
For the eastern flank countries there is a need for capabilities to use the drones to hit the targets on the ground if an enemy will try to invade the country.
A tailored approach. That is what is needed. Frontline states have different needs compared to other countries, including countries in the Mediterranean.
But all need capabilities to detect and to destroy drones.
And above all, what we need is cooperation, of course.
Exchange data to track incursions across national borders.
Interoperable situational awareness to jointly identify targets and carry out operations.
We will work hand with NATO.
We cannot do this without Ukraine.
Ukraines air defences take down 70, 80% of targets.
Ukrainian drones chased the Russian fleet out of the Black Sea, brought the Russian advance to a standstill and devastated the Russian strategic bomber fleet and oil refineries.
In the development of the Drone Wall, special attention should be paid to Ukrainian experience.
This experience shows that the key to an effective Drone Wall is not just technology as such, but the developed skills of integrated command and the creation of a comprehensive new warfare ecosystem.
We must move quickly from ideas to actions.
It is possible during the next year to build essential capabilities of the drone wall.
And until 2030 we shall have the possibility to spend 2.5 trillion euros for different needs in our for our defense.
And I hope that frozen assets will be used to strengthen Ukraine defense very soon.
So there are financial means. I count on the support of this House for the ideas and the projects which we need to develop, and I am ready to work very intensively with the parliament in order to rapidly develop needed capabilities.
Thanks a lot.
