A top Russian diplomat has slammed the European Union for what he calls “hysteria” about mysterious drones buzzing over its territory. Vladislav Maslennikov, who heads the Russian Foreign Ministry’s European affairs department, says the EU is using the scares to push for bigger military budgets—at the cost of everyday people’s wallets and the bloc’s economic health.
The comments come amid reports this week of unidentified drones spotted near Denmark’s airports and military sites, as well as in Germany’s northern region close to the Danish border. These intrusions even grounded flights at Copenhagen Airport. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled it a “serious attack” on key infrastructure, sparking widespread alarm.
Maslennikov told Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti that the EU’s real goal is to convince folks why Europe needs to ramp up defense spending, even if it hurts social stability and living standards. He also pointed out that EU countries haven’t agreed yet on the nuts and bolts of a proposed “drone wall”—a high-tech barrier meant to spot and knock down drones trying to slip across borders.
Russia’s stance? No involvement. Vladimir Chizhov, a senior Russian lawmaker on defense issues, told state TV Russia-24 that Moscow has zero reason to send drones into EU airspace just to flex its muscles.
Meanwhile, the EU is moving ahead on the drone wall idea. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced Friday that his government is already planning it, with EU leaders set to hash out more details at an informal summit next week. Orpo’s comments came in a government statement highlighting the push for stronger border defenses.
The talks got a boost from a visit to Helsinki by European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius. He met with Orpo and Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen to discuss the drone wall and ways to beef up the EU’s overall security.
This all ties into a bigger initiative from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Earlier this month, she called for the drone wall as part of the “Eastern Flank Watch” plan, aimed at shielding the EU’s outer borders from threats like unauthorized drone incursions. As tensions simmer over these drone sightings in Denmark and Germany, the EU’s defense talks are heating up fast.
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