The European Parliament has called for a strong and united response to recent violations of European airspace.
On Thursday, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) overwhelmingly approved a resolution urging the European Union and its Member States to take coordinated measures.
This would include the interception and shooting down of drones that pose threats.
It condemns Russia's "reckless and increasingly frequent and severe actions" in breaching the airspace of EU and NATO Member States, including Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania.
Similar incidents of drone sightings have been reported in Belgium and Germany.
MEPs have called for a unified approach, stronger defence capabilities, and additional sanctions to counter Russian provocations targeting EU security and infrastructure.
The resolution also denounces "systematic military and hybrid warfare and provocations" by Russia.
The Parliament encourages initiatives enabling the EU and its Member States to take "coordinated, unified, and proportional measures against any airspace breaches," including the option to neutralise airborne threats.
Additionally, the resolution supports the idea of an EU-wide drone defence system and calls for an enhanced eastern defence flank.
It highlights the need for comprehensive security coverage for member states facing challenges along the southern flank.
MEPs stress that the EU should evolve into a genuine defence union, backed by sufficient funding in both the current and future multi-annual budgets.
They also advocate deepening defence cooperation with Ukraine, particularly in drone technology.
