Ukraine's battlefield lessons push NATO to massive drone investment
Photo: The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the effectiveness of interceptor drones (Getty Images)
Five European countries plan to announce an investment plan in military drones to strengthen their defense industries, Reuters reports.
Read also: Rheinmetall unveils drone that may have already been secretly used in combat in Ukraine
According to a document reviewed by the agency and a source in the Polish Ministry of Defense, five EU countries intend to cooperate in the development of drones.
Reuters writes that the war in Ukraine has shown how interceptor drones can be an effective alternative to expensive air defense missiles, and Kyiv's European allies are eager to learn from this experience.
A group of five Defense Ministers — from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom — will meet in Krakow, Poland, on Friday, February 20.
Europe strengthens its defense capabilities
The ministers are meeting at a time when the EU is strengthening its defense capabilities amid growing doubts about Washington's commitment to protecting the continent within the NATO alliance.
A statement seen by Reuters, which is still subject to change, says the ministers support a real increase in the production capacity of the European defense industrial base. In addition, they welcome the EU's commitment to give member states greater financial flexibility for defense spending and to create lending instruments.
The EU's role is to support defense capabilities that remain at the national level.
European Ministers also commit to working together within NATO and the EU to counter hybrid threats from Russia and to continue supporting Ukraine and peace efforts.
Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO troops training
Ukrainian troops crushed NATO forces during the Hedgehog exercises in Estonia. According to Ukrainian military officials, the results of the exercises came as a surprise to Western partners.
The media called the results of the exercises terrible for NATO forces. A Ukrainian team of 10 fighters, playing the role of the enemy, simulated the destruction of 17 armored vehicles in half a day and carried out about 30 strikes on other targets.
Incidentally, large-scale exercises in Estonia revealed serious weaknesses in NATO in the new generation of warfare involving the use of drones.
