EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said a new anti-drone system should be fully operational by the end of 2027, as part of a drive to toughen defences against Russia and be fully prepared for possible conflict by 2030.
Drones are already redefining warfare. Having drone defences is no longer optional for anyone, Kallas said, referring to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and fears that Moscow may attack the EU.
The European Commission's defence roadmap also proposes strengthening the EU's eastern borders and building air and space shields.
Several EU nations have faced Russian incursions into their airspace and US President Donald Trump has urged the bloc to do more to defend itself.
The European defence plan comes amid growing European fears that Russia will continue its westward aggression after the war in Ukraine is over. Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends. It is clear we need to toughen our defences against Russia, Kallas told reporters in Brussels.
Although there seems little chance of the war ending soon, Trump says he is now having a lengthy conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has indicated that if Putin does not move to end the war, the US could send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Standing alongside Kallas, European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius stressed that our roadmap shows all the major milestones to achieve defence readiness by 2030, so we can deter Russian aggression, prevent war and preserve peace.
The EU stressed its flagship projects would be developed in close co-ordination with NATO, and would not duplicate the Western defensive alliance's work.
The defence roadmap still needs to be approved by member states at a leaders' summit next week. However, several EU states have already backed plans for a multi-layered drone wall to quickly detect, then track and destroy Russian drones.
