The European Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, confirmed media reports about NATO exercises in Estonia in 2025, where Ukrainian drone operators, acting as an opposing force, could destroy two battalions of Alliance forces in a short time. Such theses were voiced in comments related to these exercises.
“We know about this incident, without a doubt”
– Andrius Kubilius
In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kubilius explained that events of this scale were not on the official agenda of the European Commission or the College in Brussels. However, the issue of countering drones is considered in the context of developing flagship initiatives in defense and cybersecurity. He stressed: «So this is a well-known fact».
“We did not have a separate item on the Commission’s or College’s agenda titled ‘Ukrainian Lessons from NATO Exercises’. But these very issues are what we effectively discuss when talking about the development of our flagship projects and initiatives for countering drones. So this is a well-known fact”
– Andrius Kubilius
According to the European official, in discussions with politicians it is regularly stressed: in the field of countering drones and the so-called “drone war” there is a need not only to produce equipment but also to raise operational readiness and develop digital analytics. Kubilius believes this should form a holistic approach to defense and security in Europe.
“What the Ukrainians demonstrate is a whole drone ecosystem: not only production, but also operational capabilities, digital analytics, the ability to rapidly upgrade drones when the opponent starts jamming them”
– Andrius Kubilius
The deputy European official acknowledged that Europe still does not have analogous capabilities to Ukraine in countering drones. This became evident after the Russian provocation involving 20 drones that crossed the airspace of EU neighbors.
“We do not have sufficiently developed capabilities to detect drones. We are not able to manage combat information as effectively as the Ukrainians with their Delta system. And we do not have economically efficient means of destroying drones. When you shoot down a drone worth 10 thousand euros with a missile costing 1 million euros – this is not the best solution”
– Andrius Kubilius
The EU has started work on new defense programs against drones, including projects “Eastern Watch” and “Drone Wall” to strengthen the defense of the eastern flank. Primarily, member states call for developing regional and pan-European initiatives to learn from Ukraine, Kubilius added.
Context in the Media
In February, The Wall Street Journal published a piece referring to last year’s exercises in Estonia: a small Ukrainian group of drone operators, acting as the opposing force, destroyed 17 units of armored vehicles and hit 30 NATO positions in half a day. After this, one of the NATO commanders was brief: “We’re finished.”
“We’re finished”
– one of the NATO commanders
This story underscores the need for systemic approaches to counter unmanned systems and how the EU can enhance its defense tools based on Ukraine’s experience. It remains important to compare different models and to jointly use the most effective solutions within European defense frameworks.