Von der Leyen: Russia is responsible for drone violations and cyberattacks
“This is a hybrid war,” said the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen while speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg and responding to a question raised about the recent violations of airspace and critical infrastructure in several EU member states.
At the beginning of her speech, von der Leyen referred to the incidents and stated that “something new and dangerous is happening in our skies. Only in the last two weeks, fighter jets violated the airspace of Estonia and drones flew over critical locations in Belgium, Poland, Romania, Denmark, and Germany.” She spoke of a “worrying pattern of increasing threats across our Union,” while referencing underwater cables that have been cut, airports and logistics hubs paralyzed by cyberattacks, and elections targeted by malicious influence campaigns. “These incidents are designed to operate in the shadow of ambiguity. They are not random harassments. It is a coherent and escalating campaign to alarm our citizens, test our resolve, divide our Union, and weaken our support for Ukraine.”
She also responded to those who might refer to “coincidences” by saying that “this is a deliberate and targeted campaign in gray zones against Europe. And Europe must respond. We must investigate every incident. And we must not hesitate to assign responsibility. Because every square inch of our territory must be protected.”
The President of the European Commission pointed to Russia behind these incidents and stated that it is the one that “seeks to sow discord. We respond with unity,” while emphasizing that “dealing with Russian hybrid warfare is not just about traditional defense.”
– Rearmament of Europe –
Von der Leyen spoke about the criticality of rearming Europe and the Readiness plan that will mobilize up to 800 billion euros for defense and includes financial instruments such as SAFE, in close coordination with NATO, stating that “Europe must be ready to respond to changing forms of warfare” and that “we must be able to respond in real time.”
She explained the goals of defense fortification through three axes. “The first concerns violations of our airspace. I am referring to pan-European initiatives such as the Eastern Flank Watch and the Drone Wall. The Drone Wall is our response to the new reality of war.”
– A tool for migration as well –
“The ‘Drone Wall’ will monitor and protect the skies, seas, and land of our eastern members. But it is not just about the eastern borders. We need a 360-degree approach. The anti-drone system will serve as a shield for the entire Union, including the Southern Front. And it must be designed to address a wide range of challenges: from responding to natural disasters to tackling international organized crime. From monitoring weaponized migration to controlling the Russian shadow fleet. Autonomous systems are at the heart of 21st-century security. And Europe must be at the forefront,” said von der Leyen.
The second point concerns critical defense capabilities. As the President stated, “we have already identified nine critical capabilities – from air defense to cyber warfare and electronic warfare. For each, we will create ‘Collective Capability Coalitions’ – groups of member states that will commit to delivering together.”
In the third point, she referred to the strong European defense industry, saying that “we can rely on our own production base, especially in times of crisis.” “For this reason, at least 65% of every project funded by SAFE must be based within the Union. European funds must contribute to the European economy. But beyond funding, we must also remove the barriers that limit our industry,” she stated, referencing the Defence Omnibus, the new action plan for access to critical raw materials and enhancing innovation in the European industry in every possible way. (10/8/25)
