Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia jointly asked the European Commission for extra EU funding for drone-fighting capabilities, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said. He gave no amount; Finnish daily Iltalehti reported the request was €500 million.
Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russia, and some drones have entered airspace in the Baltic region, raising concern that the war could spill over NATO’s borders.
Kaunas said the countries were looking into joint procurement, with a preference for Europe’s defence industry. He said this would strengthen their resilience and industrial cooperation in Europe.
