The EU still lacks defenses to counter Russian drones, and must prepare earlier than planned, warned the bloc's Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius in Brussels, La Repubblica reports on 14 October.

EU drone defenses lag far behind as Russia accelerates

Speaking at the fifth European Conference on Security and Defense, La Repubblica says, Kubilius acknowledged that the EU "is not ready" yet to defend itself against unmanned aerial vehicles — despite nearly four years of drone-centric warfare in Ukraine, where drones have played a key role.

Kubilius said Russia could launch drones from cargo ships toward any European coastline, and Europe still lacks the means to stop them.

“Now it is time to deliver on what we promised,” he said.

According to Kubilius, the EU has spent the past 10 months preparing for a collective defense posture meant to reach readiness by 2030. But that timeline, he warned, no longer matches the urgency of the threat:

“We must be ready before 2030, because [Russian President] Vladimir Putin will be ready.”

He stressed that Russia, in just three months, produces more ammunition than all NATO members — including the US and all Europeans — do in an entire year.

“So, about four times as much,” Kubilius said.

Kubilius reminded participants that NATO had set new capability targets for all member states at its June summit in The Hague. However, “it seems that now we have only 50% of the capabilities we need by 2030,” he admitted.