Brussels, October 16, LETA-DPA. On Thursday, the European Commission presented four projects in the field of armaments concerning border security, air defense, space technologies, and drone protection.
"Recent events have shown that Europe is under threat. We must protect every citizen and every square centimeter of our territory. Europe must act with unity, solidarity, and determination," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
By implementing these projects, the European Commission aims to set common goals - to enhance Europe's defense readiness by 2030. European intelligence agencies warn that by that time, Russia may be sufficiently prepared militarily to start a new war.
EU leaders are expected to approve these initiatives by the end of the year and determine which EU countries will participate in specific projects and which will take the lead on them.
The European Commission hopes that by the end of 2026, EU countries will achieve significant progress in drone defense while simultaneously strengthening the security of the eastern border. The goal of the initiative is to create a comprehensive defense capability at Europe's borders through multi-sectoral surveillance systems, unmanned and anti-drone means, electronic warfare capabilities, precision strike systems, and effective operational coordination.
Joint procurement of surveillance systems and defense technologies is planned for the first quarter of next year. The systems are expected to partially start functioning by the end of 2026 and fully by the end of 2027.
In the field of air defense, the European Commission calls on participating countries to "create an integrated multi-layered shield for air and missile defense, (...) protecting against the full spectrum of aerial threats."
The European Commission notes that the new capability planned to be formed from spring 2026 must be compatible with NATO systems and align with the goals previously set by the alliance. Funding will primarily be provided by participating countries and existing EU programs.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Wednesday that Germany is ready to take a leading role in the air defense initiative.
EU leaders are expected to discuss these initiatives next week at the summit in Brussels.
