European ministers from five countries have agreed to develop low-cost air defences to protect European skies, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced after an E5 meeting of defence ministers hosted in Krakow, Poland.
Kallas described Europe’s security environment as “more uncertain than it has been in decades”, citing Russia as a “major threat”, continued instability in the Middle East and China as a “long-term challenge”, the European External Action Service (EEAS) reported on Friday.
She stated the United States was expecting Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defence, and that European countries were already investing “record sums” in defence.
Kallas added that strengthening Europe’s military capabilities was “not about competing with NATO” but about making Europe “stronger within NATO.”
Hybrid threats and Ukraine support
Kallas informed that ministers also discussed what she called a sharp rise in “hybrid threats” — actions that fall short of open warfare, such as cyber-attacks and sabotage — and claimed Russia was intensifying such activity while its army was “stalled” in Ukraine.
She said the EU had responded by sanctioning those responsible, tightening controls on the movements of Russian diplomats, stepping up action against Russia’s “shadow fleet” and deploying “hybrid response teams” to partner countries seen as at risk. She also referred to increased investment in drone and cyber defences.
On Ukraine, Kallas said talks in Geneva showed Russia was not moving away from “maximalist demands”, and said the EU’s approach remained “more support for Ukraine and more pressure on Russia.”
She emphasised the EU was moving ahead with a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and that the first funds were expected to be disbursed in April.
Planning was also continuing on the EU’s contribution to future security guarantees.
Kallas said the EU aimed to adopt its 20th sanctions package against Russia next Monday, and argued that sanctions were “severely hurting” Russia’s economy.
She also said Russia’s army was suffering “record casualties” and that its economy was under “heavy strain.”
