Finland's Minister of Defence, Antti Häkkänen, states that Europe is engaged in a critical race against time to enhance its military capabilities and establish a so-called drone barrier in response to an increasing number of incursions, which are thought to originate from Russia.
"When they [Russia] began to run low on missiles, they started manufacturing a large number of drones, which is why the threat scenario has shifted," Häkkänen stated.
He mentioned that Europe is dealing with several issues caused by the recent surge in airspace breaches by Russia, which included drones entering nations such as Poland and Denmark.
Häkkänen highlighted the significant cost involved in neutralizing them and the risk they present to the public if they are brought down in residential zones.
"Everyone faces a challenge in finding an affordable method to combat drone threats with minimal collateral damage, particularly if it occurs near an airport," he explained.
"It's extremely difficult to deploy a drone in a civilian area without causing unintended harm, employing the full power of military force across all aspects of warfare," he stated.
Häkkänen stated that Russia will consistently take advantage of vulnerabilities, particularly if Europe and the West remains "disunited and unready."
He stated, 'We are aware that Russia has consistently acted aggressively throughout history whenever they perceive an opportunity.'
"If they think the West is somewhat weak and politically somewhat disarrayed, perhaps not in good condition militarily, and they believe they have a chance to reclaim some additional territory," then they will, he noted.
"That's what they believed in 2014 and 2022," he stated.
The year 2014 marks Russia's unlawful takeover of the Crimean Peninsula, whereas 2022 signifies when Russia initiated its large-scale invasion of the nation, a conflict that continues up to the present.
"Therefore, to prevent that danger, Europeans need to accelerate their investments. Genuine investments. There needs to be a feeling of urgency," he recommended.
What is the drone barrier?
Supported by the European Commission, the drone barrier seeks to integrate detection and attack systems that would have to be deployed along the borders of at least 10 nations, such as Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
"The drone barrier is not a wall, but a network of interconnected systems," Sven Kruck, co-CEO of the German drone company Quantum Systems, said to Euronews.
Surveillance, data integration, and defense, spanning thousands of kilometers," Kruck said, noting that "at its heart, the initiative is a network of sensors and defense mechanisms designed to protect NATO's eastern border.
It serves as a key element of Europe's defense strategy for the next few years, but there have already been disputes regarding the time it will take to become functional.
Evika Siliņa, Latvia's prime minister, for instance told reporters that she believes a drone wall along the eastern flank could be "doable" within "one year, year and a half."
This directly conflicts with statements made earlier this week at the Warsaw Security Forum by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who stated that such a project would not be "realized in the next three to four years."
Regardless of the timeline, both Europe and NATO strongly believe that Russia is responsible for the recent series of airspace breaches as part of its hybrid conflict, which involves the dissemination of false information and cyberattacks.
Defence spending
Häkkänen states that NATO should "immediately" begin executing a pledge to allocate up to 5% of its GDP toward defense as quickly as possible.
All 32 NATO members approved a plan to raise military expenditures from 2% to 5% of GDP during the NATO conference held in The Hague in July, following pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 5% percentage is divided, with 3.5% allocated to basic defense expenditures and 1.5% directed toward "defense and security-related expenses."
"We're hoping the new NATO agreement on increasing spending to 3.5-5% will accelerate quickly," he said.
"The NATO agreement states that you must be fully prepared to spend 3.5% within 10 years. No, no, you need to begin right away," Häkkänen warned.
Häkkänen serves as the defense minister for one of NATO's most recent member nations. In reaction to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, both Finland and Sweden abandoned their long-standing neutrality and jointly applied for membership in the alliance.
Finland officially became a member in April 2023, while Sweden joined at the beginning of the following year.
"Some weaknesses exist in NATO's collective defense. These weaknesses must be addressed quickly," he stated.
The administration of Donald Trump has consistently informed Europe that its defense focus is domestic, and that Washington can no longer be counted on to ensure European security.
Washington has also halted military aid shipments to Ukraine, even though the US is set to reveal a major agreement regarding the acquisition of potentially long-range weapons, which will be financed by European countries.
Nevertheless, this represents a clear departure from the Biden administration's approach, as Congress approved more than $40 billion in military assistance in one package.
"The United States mentions that they are redirecting their focus towards the Indo-Pacific region and their domestic security," explained Häkkänen.
"And we are witnessing the outcomes. The Europeans need to contribute their fair share and purchase the equipment to address the US shortfalls," he stated to Euronews.
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