Today at 10:43
The European Union is preparing a new defense project called “Eastern Flank Guard,” with a “drone wall” set to become its central component.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Helsinki after a video meeting with the defense ministers of nine EU member states and Ukraine, EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius outlined the initiative’s three pillars:
- Ground barrier – engineering fortifications to protect EU borders.
- Drone wall – advanced systems for detection, monitoring, and interception of hostile drones, prompted by recent dangerous provocations.
- Maritime barrier – a symbolic but necessary measure to guard against threats from the sea.
Kubilius stressed that the EU must be ready for provocations “including from the sea,” and highlighted the need for a space-based surveillance system to strengthen border control.
The virtual conference included defense ministers from Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the Danish defense minister (representing the EU Council presidency), and NATO observers. Ukraine was represented by Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who delivered what Kubilius called a “highly valuable, battle-tested presentation.”
“We agreed to move from discussion to concrete action,” Kubilius said, noting that the “drone wall” is the immediate priority and will serve the security interests of all of Europe.
Kubilius emphasized that the project will be developed jointly with Ukraine, whose wartime experience provides “invaluable added value.” The next step is to secure political backing ahead of the October European Council meeting, where leaders will discuss the EU’s broader defense readiness roadmap.
