EU to allocate over $2 billion for drones for Ukraine, von der Leyen says
The European Union will allocate 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) to drones for Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sept. 30 ahead of a meeting of the European Commission's Defense College.
The announcement comes as the EU seeks to bolster its defenses and deepen cooperation with Ukraine in the face of airspace violations by Russia.
European leaders are considering the development of the so-called "drone wall" in response to Russia’s provocations as part of broader efforts to strengthen regional air defense and deter further incursions.
"We have agreed with Ukraine that a total of 2 billion euros will be spent on drones now. This allows Ukraine to scale up and to use its full capacity. And of course, it will also allow the EU to benefit from this technology," von der Leyen said.
Von der Leyen emphasized the need to bolster military support for Ukraine and advance the Eastern Flank Watch initiative, which includes the development of a "drone wall" to secure the EU’s eastern borders.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who joined von der Leyen at the briefing, echoed her remarks, saying that Ukraine serves as "the first line of defense" for NATO member states in Europe.
"We are helping the Ukrainians, because this is about our values, but also about, indeed, the first line of defense — our collective safety," Rutte said.
Following an incident in which Poland shot down several Russian drones over its territory and invoked Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, Rutte announced on Sept. 12 the launch of Operation Eastern Sentinel, a new defense initiative aimed at countering drone-related threats along the alliance’s eastern flank.
The operation will be conducted in Poland and Romania, with the goal of eliminating specific threats related to the use of drones.
Several European NATO member states and Ukraine also held initial talks in late September on establishing a coordinated "drone wall" to protect countries bordering Russia or Ukraine, as the latter is still facing a full-scale invasion and ongoing Russian aerial attacks.
