Von der Leyen urges EU security mechanism for drone, sabotage threats
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday called for an EU security mechanism to coordinate responses to drone incidents, sabotage and cyberattacks across Europe. The proposal would create a NATO-like system, modelled on Article 4 of the alliance’s founding treaty, to help the bloc respond to acts that fall short of armed aggression.
“Europe needs its own counter-hybrid playbook,” von der Leyen said in Strasbourg, France. “We urgently need a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents.”
The mechanism would allow any member state to convene all member states to coordinate a European response, deter escalation and mitigate impact, she said.
Officials in Germany, Denmark and Poland have in recent weeks accused Russia of involvement in drone incursions, sabotage, arson, surveillance of defense facilities and planning to use a drone carrying explosives to attack an airport.
Earlier this week, Italian fighter jets working with NATO shot down a drone over Lithuania, the first such downing in its airspace. The drone was believed to have entered from Russia.
NATO’s Article 4 allows countries believing their territory is under threat to convene emergency meetings. It is separate from Article 5, the collective security guarantee that obliges all member countries to come to the aid of an ally under attack.
Von der Leyen also said the European Commission will set out ideas to make a European Security Council a reality. The body would involve international partners including Britain, Canada, Norway and Ukraine, she said. She provided no details.
