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The European Union has announced plans to build a coordinated “drone wall” along its eastern borders with Russia and Ukraine amid recent incursions in EU/NATO airspace.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Over the last month, there have been multiple airspace incursions into NATO and EU territory. In Poland, NATO fighter jets were scrambled on September 10 after 19 Russian drones breached its airspace. This resulted in NATO aircraft shooting down some of the drones. In Estonia, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets violated national airspace for 12 minutes. Despite mounting evidence and international concern, Russia has denied any intentional involvement, dismissing the incidents as either coincidental or falsely attributed, and condemning NATO’s reactions as “reckless” and “irresponsible.”

What’s going on now: First reported by the Financial Times and later confirmed by defense officials speaking to various outlets, the EU is moving ahead with plans to establish a continent-wide “drone wall.” The initiative was agreed on during a virtual meeting of defense ministers from 10 frontline EU member states (Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, and Denmark), with participation from Ukraine and NATO. The project will include radars, acoustic sensors, drone jamming and interception systems, and potentially space-based surveillance infrastructure capable of detecting and neutralizing threats in real time.

According to EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, the system will take approximately one year to begin operational rollout, with an initial focus on early warning and detection systems, followed by the deployment of interception capabilities. Kubilius called the meeting a “milestone,” adding that the bloc must “move fast,” especially as Russia continues to test NATO and EU readiness. He and other ministers described the recent drone and aircraft violations as a form of hybrid warfare, with Poland’s defense minister stating bluntly: “Russia is testing us, and our response must be firm, united, and immediate.”

Defense ministers also agreed that the threat is no longer confined to the eastern flank, with the recent Danish airport closures serving as proof that drones could be launched from ships, offshore platforms, or disguised assets across Europe’s periphery.

Financially, the EU is now backing the project after initially rejecting requests from Estonia and Lithuania for funding earlier this year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has since reversed course, calling for the creation of a “drone alliance” and pledging $7 billion toward related defense capabilities.