Bulgaria among EU frontline states in talks on Drone Wall – ‘from concept to concrete actions’

Bulgaria was among several European Union “frontline countries” participating in a high-level video conference of defence ministers on September 26 on a proposed “Drone Wall”, an anti-drone defensive system, against the background of repeated Russian provocations, including incursions into the air spaces of EU countries.

Defence Ministers from the EU frontline countries Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania, attended the meeting, alongside two other EU member states from the Eastern flank, Hungary and Slovakia.

In a separate session, Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Denys Shmyhal, shared invaluable, battle-tested expertise, with Nato present as an observer, EU Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.

Speaking at a news conference after the meeting, Kubilius said that the video conference was held to accelerate the implementation of the “Eastern Flank Watch”, the EU’s flagship defence initiative to shield the entire EU from escalating security threats.

“The repeated violations of our airspace are unacceptable,” Kubilius said.

“The message is clear: Russia is testing the EU and Nato. And our response must be firm, united, and immediate,” he said.

Kubilius said that at the meeting “we agreed to move from concept to concrete actions”.

“We agreed on the most important point: The Eastern Flank Watch, with the ‘Drone Wall’ as its core, will serve all of Europe.”

He said that the meeting had reached a shared understanding of its design.

This involved an immediate priority “Drone Wall”, with advanced detection, tracking, and interception capabilities; ground defences, such as anti-mobility systems; maritime security for the Baltic and Black Seas; and space-based situational awareness.

The next steps are clear, Kubilius said.

“I will secure political traction ahead of the October European Council. We will define a detailed technical roadmap with national experts. We will mobilise Europe’s defence industry.

“And we will build a comprehensive EU financial toolbox to make this shield a reality,” he said.

Today’s meeting was a milestone – “now we focus on delivery,” Kubilius said.

Earlier, Nato’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) announced on September 12. that Allied Command Operations (ACO), which is responsible for the planning and execution of all Nato operations, will execute “multi-domain activity” Eastern Sentry along Nato’s Eastern flank,.

“It will even further strengthen our posture to shield and protect all Allies,” the statement said.

The multi-domain activity, which will continue for an undisclosed amount of time, is in response to ongoing airspace violations, including the numerous Russian drones that violated Poland’s airspace on September 10, SHAPE said.

The Alliance already responded quickly and decisively to that situation, demonstrating Nato capability and resolve to defend the Alliance, but will now act further to strengthen its posture.

“The violation of Poland’s airspace earlier this week is not an isolated incident and impacts more than just Poland,” General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said.

The Alliance will also strengthen its air defence.

“Eastern Sentry and this new approach will deliver even more focused and flexible deterrence and defence where and when needed to protect our people and deter against further reckless and dangerous acts like what occurred earlier this week,” Grynkewich said.

For Eastern Sentry, Denmark will contribute two F-16s and an anti-air warfare frigate, France will contribute three Rafales, and Germany will contribute four Eurofighters. These forces and more will reinforce existing Allied forces and enhance Nato’s deterrence and defensive posture where and when needed.

ACO will also work closely with Allied Command Transformation, as it continues to do with Baltic Sentry, to rapidly experiment and field new technologies at Alliance-wide scale, such as counter-drone sensors and weapons to detect, track and kill drones.

(Photo: Mehrdad Esfahani/ Student News Agency, via Wikimedia Commons)