Rutte: Europe must urgently strengthen airspace protection

According to the A News portal, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called for a rapid strengthening of European airspace protection following a series of incidents involving Russian drones and military aircraft.

In a joint appearance with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he referred to airspace violations in Poland, Estonia, and Denmark. He emphasized that even if these were not deliberate attacks, they were reckless and unacceptable behavior.

Rutte supported the proposal for a so-called “drone wall,” which is intended to increase the efficiency of defense while reducing costs. He pointed out the absurdity of destroying cheap drones with expensive missiles.

The Commission President also announced immediate steps to set up this system. In her words, Europe must respond to Russian violations in a unified and determined manner.

The issue is already set to be on the agenda at the next EU summit in Copenhagen, where heads of state and government will discuss further measures to protect European skies from increasingly frequent security threats.

(lup)