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EU Must Produce Millions of Drones to Counter Potential Russian Threat, Warns Commissioner
European Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told EU defense ministers on June 26 that Europe needs to build millions of drones to safeguard NATO territory against possible Russian attacks expected within the next five years, as was reported by Sky News.
In an interview, Kubilius stressed that Russia’s drone arsenal could number up to five million, requiring a comparable surge in European manufacturing capacity to ensure territorial defense.
He cited estimates that Ukraine is set to produce more than four million drones this year, underscoring the need for Europe’s industry to match that scale in readiness for a high-intensity scenario.
Kubilius highlighted Lithuania’s experience, noting that with a nearly 560-mile land border, Vilnius would require roughly three million drones to secure its frontier “on Day X,” should hostilities escalate on NATO’s eastern flank.
He argued that instead of stockpiling limited inventories, member states must establish scalable production lines—complete with trained pilots, engineers, and manufacturing teams—capable of rapidly ramping up output in response to emerging threats.
The warning follows assessments by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who has warned that Russia could be ready to strike a NATO country within five years as it accelerates its rearmament through partnerships with China, North Korea and Iran, heightening the urgency for enhanced European air-defense and counter-UAV measures.
Earlier, Slovakia’s Ministry of Defense unveiled the Wolf 25 AD, a mobile radar-guided air-defense system designed to intercept drones and low-flying threats. During combat trials in Ukraine, the platform demonstrated its AESA radar and modular launchers, engaging multiple unmanned aerial vehicles simultaneously and strengthening NATO-compatible drone-countermeasure capabilities.
