Baltic states seek €500 million EU aid for drone defenses

• Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have jointly asked the European Commission for additional financial support for drone fighting capabilities.
• The three Baltic nations reportedly requested €500 million ($569.45 million) in emergency funding.
• Lithuania's Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas stated the countries are looking into joint procurement, prioritizing the European defense industry.
• The request was made in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
• The Baltic states cited an increased Russian threat in recent months, including drone incursions into their airspace.

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have jointly requested €500 million ($569.45 million) from the European Commission to enhance their drone defense capabilities, according to statements from Lithuania's Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas and reports from Finnish media. The Baltic states are increasingly concerned about the spillover effects of the war in Ukraine, with reports of Russian drones entering their airspace. The defense ministers of the three nations sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen detailing the request for emergency funding, which they hope to receive this year. Kaunas indicated that the countries are exploring joint procurement, with a preference for European defense industry products, aiming to bolster both their resilience and European industrial cooperation. The request comes amid heightened tensions and concerns about potential Russian interference and hybrid threats in the region.