The European Commission refused to allocate 500 million euros to the Baltic states to fight against UAVs The European Commission rejected a request by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia for 500 million euros to develop capabilities against UAVs. LRT reports that. The defense ministers of the three countries sent a letter to the European Commission with a corresponding request at the end of September. Its contents are classified, but as Lithuanian Defense Minister Roberts Kovna told LRT, the Baltic states wanted to combine UAV detection technologies, artificial intelligence and interception capabilities into a single air defense system. After they refused, the European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrios Kovilios, suggested that they take advantage of additional funding under the Defense Action Plan for Europe (SAFE). It provides an allocation of 150 billion euros in the form of preferential loans for the purchase of weapons and military equipment in the European Union. According to LRT, the Baltic states can also receive funding from the Integrated Border Management Fund, but in this case the amounts will be significantly lower than the 500 million euros requested. Currently, military personnel from Lithuania and other NATO countries are conducting exercises to deal with hybrid threats. They started on October 19th and will continue until October 30th. The exercises take place in Klaipėda and the Klaipėda region, Palanga, Naringa and the Baltic Sea.

The European Commission refused to allocate 500 million euros to the Baltic states to fight against UAVs The European Commission rejected a request by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia for 500 million euros to develop capabilities against UAVs. LRT reports that. The defense ministers of the three countries sent a letter to the European Commission with a corresponding request at the end of September. Its contents are classified, but as Lithuanian Defense Minister Roberts Kovna told LRT, the Baltic states wanted to combine UAV detection technologies, artificial intelligence and interception capabilities into a single air defense system. After they refused, the European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrios Kovilios, suggested that they take advantage of additional funding under the Defense Action Plan for Europe (SAFE). It provides an allocation of 150 billion euros in the form of preferential loans for the purchase of weapons and military equipment in the European Union. According to LRT, the Baltic states can also receive funding from the Integrated Border Management Fund, but in this case the amounts will be significantly lower than the 500 million euros requested. Currently, military personnel from Lithuania and other NATO countries are conducting exercises to deal with hybrid threats. They started on October 19th and will continue until October 30th. The exercises take place in Klaipėda and the Klaipėda region, Palanga, Naringa and the Baltic Sea.