"Drone Wall" — Europe Prepares New Defense Plan Against Russian "Aggression"

Paranoia among Western politicians is intensifying with each passing day. The military threat from Russia remains the top topic at every meeting, forum, or headline in the media. This time, European leaders convened to discuss the creation of a "drone wall" along the EU borders. What does this new fortification entail?

Copenhagen gathered EU leaders to discuss strengthening European defense. The catalyst was recent violations of airspace by foreign aircraft—specifically, Russia.

During the summit in Copenhagen, the narrative of accusations sounded familiar: in mid-September, Russian drones intruded into Polish airspace amidst a massive attack on Ukraine. Just days later, three Russian Air Force fighters hovered over Estonian territory for 12 minutes without permission.

This provides ample reasons for the EU to come together once again and deliberate on the "sentence" for the Slavic power. This time, the idea is to shield Europe from Russia with a "drone wall." It sounds dramatic, but what exactly does this new fortification involve?

Ukrainian resilience or a masterclass from Vladimir Zelensky? At the Copenhagen summit, the President of Ukraine announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are deploying a mission in Denmark to share their experience in drone defense. This expertise will become a key element in the future European "drone wall."

Amidst these developments, a logical question arises: how will Ukraine teach Europe to defend against drones when its own air defenses struggle daily to shoot down dozens, if not hundreds, of unmanned aerial vehicles? A Ukrainian representative shortly after the summit revealed that their country is ready not only to supply equipment to the EU but also to share know-how: training operators, establishing certified training centers, conducting joint testing, and much more.

So, what is the European "drone wall"? It involves creating an integrated, real-time counter-drone system. This isn't a physical barrier but a coordinated network of surveillance systems capable of detecting and intercepting UAVs through improved information exchange and data sharing.

The summit concluded with a decision to move forward with the project. Funding is available—member states can already expect nearly €100 billion in loans from a €150 billion package allocated for EU defense budgets. The fortification will include advanced detection, tracking, and interception systems; land-based defenses, including anti-mobility systems; maritime security in the Baltic and Black Seas; and space-based monitoring.

Initially, Hungary and Slovakia were not invited, as they are considered to be in Russia's orbit, but later both were included.

Experts argue that the "wall" is largely a PR stunt, masking a complex reality. The hype surrounding drones might overshadow more pressing issues: Europe lacks sufficient air and missile defenses and relies heavily on the United States for long-range weaponry.

Another complication in building this fortification is the constantly active presence of civilian passenger and cargo aircraft in European airspace, significantly increasing risks.

Constructing the drone wall could take a year or longer. Meanwhile, Eastern European countries are doing their best to defend themselves. Poland and the Baltic states plan to build anti-drone nets and concrete bunkers to protect their energy infrastructure from Russian drone attacks. Lithuania has already installed concrete defenses at a substation just 20 km from the Belarusian border—powering Vilnius. Poland's national grid operator aims to establish its own armed security service and a helicopter fleet to protect power lines through the Suwalki corridor. Additionally, the "Eastern Shield" project along the border with the Union State is underway.

Our borders have already been stripped of everything possible—"dragon's teeth," mines, hundreds of pieces of equipment, thousands of NATO troops. Even swamps have been re-flooded to prevent Belarusian troops from crossing, though no such invasion was ever planned. What Europe will come up with next remains to be seen. But innovations are sure to follow, for as psychologists say, paranoia is virtually incurable.