Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Amid concerns over Russian infiltration, the EU has unveiled a strategy to strengthen its security, to be fully operational by the end of the decade.
Across Europe, a key component of the “European Drone Defense Initiative” is to detect, track and neutralize rogue drones following violations of airspace near some Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian borders.
Complementing this is “Eastern Flank Watch”, a plan to strengthen its eastern border against land, Baltic and Black Sea, air and mixed attacks.
Initial operations for both will take place in December next year, with the drone system fully functional by the end of 2027 and Eastern Flank Watch in full swing by the end of 2028.
Separate air and space shields are also envisioned.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stressed the urgency, saying: “In the next few years, there must be a major build-up of European defense capabilities.”
“Russia does not have the capability to attack the EU today, but it may prepare itself in the coming years. Even if the war in Ukraine ends, the threat will not end,” he said.
A new defense ‘road map’
The Commission will present its Defense Preparedness Roadmap 2030 – essentially a check list of equipment to be purchased by national governments and deadlines to be respected over the next five years – to the 27 EU leaders at a summit for their feedback. brussels Next week.
Initial signs are positive. The leaders suppressed this issue Copenhagen in early October, and his position has hardened on how to respond to incidents blamed on Russia.
“Europeans must take greater responsibility for their defense capability,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday, hours before the unveiling of the “road map.” “Europe must coordinate more closely and act with more determination and quickly.”
The plan will require substantial funding and the budget is limited.
The Commission estimates EU defense spending this year will amount to about 392 billion euros ($457 billion), nearly double the amount four years ago, before Russia launched a full-scale invasion. ukraine,
He believes around 3.4 trillion euros ($4 trillion) will need to be spent on defense over the next decade. To help, it intends to propose increasing the EU’s long-term budget for defense and space by 131 billion euros ($153 billion).
A separate budget to improve the speed with which armies can move their equipment across Europe by building roads and bridges as well as air and sea ports will also be increased tenfold to 17.6 billion euros ($20.5 billion).
Deadline and Ukraine
The overarching objective of the Readiness 2030 Roadmap is to encourage Member States to decide which of them should lead which projects, and to launch them within the first six months of next year.
At least 40 percent of military procurement would have to be joint by the end of 2027 – cutting costs and encouraging countries to use interoperable weapons and standards.
Projects, contracts and financing on “critical capabilities” – for example drones or satellites – will need to be settled by the end of 2028, with the entire process to be finalized two years later.
Another important part of the plan is to provide security guarantees for Ukraine.
“Ukraine is still Europe’s first line of defense,” Callas said. “The strongest security guarantees are a strong Ukrainian defense industry and a strong Ukrainian army.”
One goal, he said, “is to establish a drone alliance with Ukraine early next year.”