According to Politico, the EU's “drone wall” envisions an integrated network of modern radars, sensors, and coordinated air defense systems stretching over 2,000 kilometers from Finland’s Arctic border to Romania’s Black Sea coast. This air defense line would provide real-time monitoring and rapid response capabilities against Russian aircraft and drone threats along NATO’s most vulnerable eastern borders.
The decision to accelerate consultations comes as a direct response to numerous incidents in recent weeks: Russian drones crossed into Polish and Romanian airspace earlier this month, while on 19 September, three Russian military jets made an unprecedented violation of Estonia’s border.
The online gathering will include seven NATO eastern flank countries — Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria — alongside Ukraine and European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to present financing mechanisms for the project during an informal EU leaders’ meeting in Copenhagen on 1 October. According to European diplomats, the discussions include creating a dedicated budget line for defense technologies, potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of euros.
