EU Unveils Defense Road Map Including Measures to Counter Drones, Defend Eastern Flank

The European Commission said the Eastern Flank Watch and the European Drone Defense Initiative are the most urgent of the proposals.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks near Medininkai, Lithuania, on Sept. 1, 2025. Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo

The European Commission on Oct. 16 proposed four flagship defense projects, including a drone wall and fortification of Europe’s eastern border, as part of measures to boost defense by 2030.

The new “Preserving Peace—Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030” is necessary to deter “Russian aggression, prevent war and preserve peace,” European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius said in a statement announcing the plans.