A group of countries, including the Baltic states, Poland, Norway, and Finland, have agreed to create a "drone wall" to help defend their collective borders, Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said in an interview with the Lithuanian media outlet BNS published on May 24.
The announcement comes after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier in May that Poland had signed a contract to join the European Sky Shield Initiative, which currently includes 21 countries. The initiative aims to create an Iron Dome-style air defense system covering NATO members across Europe.
As Lithuania was a founding member of the initiative, which was formed in October 2022, the suggested "drone wall" is a different proposal.
"This is a completely new thing—a drone border from Norway to Poland, the purpose of which would be to protect our border with the help of drones and other technologies," Bilotaite said.
"Not only physical infrastructure, surveillance systems, but also using drones and other technologies that would allow us to also protect ourselves from provocations by unfriendly countries, and prevent contraband."
The proposal would utilize both its own drones and anti-drone systems, Bilotaite said.
The plan is still in its formative stages, she said, and there is no concrete timeline when it will be implemented.
"It is clear that if we agree on common solutions, we could apply for European funds, if we present (the) need as a region, there is a high probability that we will receive funding from the European Commission," Bilotaite said.
Amid Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine and its widespread usage of drones and missiles to strike civilian targets, countries on NATO's eastern flank have sought to improve their air defense capabilities against potential Russian threats.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
