Drones Frequently Intrude into Baltic Sea, Von der Leyen Visits Lithuania to Propose Strengthened Response
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Lithuania to meet with Baltic leaders. Amid rising concerns over drone incursions and hybrid warfare, the EU pledged €13.5 billion in support to strengthen regional security.
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- 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 18:52
- 🔍 Collected: May 31, 2026 at 23:45 (100h 53m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 00:56 (25h 10m after Collected)
Drone intrusion incidents have occurred one after another in the Baltic region recently. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Lithuania yesterday and held talks with the presidents of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, emphasizing that Europe will strengthen its support for regional security.
Ursula von der Leyen stated at a press conference held at the Lithuanian Presidential Palace on the 26th that Europe stands in solidarity with the three Baltic states and will expand its support, because when the Baltic states face a test, it means the entire Europe is facing a test.
She pointed out that the recent drone incidents on the EU's eastern border are not isolated phenomena, but one of the deliberate sabotage strategies adopted by Russia against European democratic societies. Related means include air raid sirens, the "weaponization" of migrants, and various types of hybrid warfare attacks.
Von der Leyen affirmed the social resilience of the Baltic states at the press conference and reiterated the EU's unified stance. She pointed out that the EU will provide 12 billion euros (approximately NT$438.6 billion) to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defense loan program, and allocate another 1.5 billion euros (approximately NT$54.8 billion) from the Cohesion Funds to be used for improving defense readiness, border monitoring, and economic security.
She called on Europe to further strengthen regional security, including building a unified early warning system, strengthening cross-border coordination mechanisms, and promoting further integration of national systems with EU space programs to improve monitoring and response capabilities.
In addition, she also advocated for a regional assessment of anti-drone and early warning capabilities to identify deficiencies and accelerate reinforcement, while deepening cooperation with Ukraine in the defense industry, drawing on Ukraine's combat experience.
Von der Leyen also proposed establishing a common mechanism to deal with hybrid threats to facilitate rapid and consistent responses to various challenges. She emphasized that in an environment of continuous hybrid and cyber threats, only deterrence and unity can maintain peace.
In Latvia, a drone intruded on the 7th and hit an oil storage facility, but the government's alarm system did not issue an alert in time, triggering a political storm that eventually led to the resignation of the Latvian Defense Minister and Prime Minister.
Estonian airspace was intruded by a drone on the 19th, and NATO dispatched fighter jets to shoot it down. The next day, the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, also issued an alert due to a suspected drone entering the airspace, and the Lithuanian President and Prime Minister were temporarily evacuated.
These drones that intruded into the Baltic airspace belonged to Ukraine. The Ukrainian side accused Russia of using electronic warfare to divert drones originally used to attack Russia to the Baltic region, and apologized to the affected countries.
Ursula von der Leyen stated at a press conference held at the Lithuanian Presidential Palace on the 26th that Europe stands in solidarity with the three Baltic states and will expand its support, because when the Baltic states face a test, it means the entire Europe is facing a test.
She pointed out that the recent drone incidents on the EU's eastern border are not isolated phenomena, but one of the deliberate sabotage strategies adopted by Russia against European democratic societies. Related means include air raid sirens, the "weaponization" of migrants, and various types of hybrid warfare attacks.
Von der Leyen affirmed the social resilience of the Baltic states at the press conference and reiterated the EU's unified stance. She pointed out that the EU will provide 12 billion euros (approximately NT$438.6 billion) to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defense loan program, and allocate another 1.5 billion euros (approximately NT$54.8 billion) from the Cohesion Funds to be used for improving defense readiness, border monitoring, and economic security.
She called on Europe to further strengthen regional security, including building a unified early warning system, strengthening cross-border coordination mechanisms, and promoting further integration of national systems with EU space programs to improve monitoring and response capabilities.
In addition, she also advocated for a regional assessment of anti-drone and early warning capabilities to identify deficiencies and accelerate reinforcement, while deepening cooperation with Ukraine in the defense industry, drawing on Ukraine's combat experience.
Von der Leyen also proposed establishing a common mechanism to deal with hybrid threats to facilitate rapid and consistent responses to various challenges. She emphasized that in an environment of continuous hybrid and cyber threats, only deterrence and unity can maintain peace.
In Latvia, a drone intruded on the 7th and hit an oil storage facility, but the government's alarm system did not issue an alert in time, triggering a political storm that eventually led to the resignation of the Latvian Defense Minister and Prime Minister.
Estonian airspace was intruded by a drone on the 19th, and NATO dispatched fighter jets to shoot it down. The next day, the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, also issued an alert due to a suspected drone entering the airspace, and the Lithuanian President and Prime Minister were temporarily evacuated.
These drones that intruded into the Baltic airspace belonged to Ukraine. The Ukrainian side accused Russia of using electronic warfare to divert drones originally used to attack Russia to the Baltic region, and apologized to the affected countries.
FAQ
Why are drones entering Baltic airspace?
It is believed that Russian electronic warfare is diverting drones from their intended targets.