EU top diplomat demands stronger response to Russian drone threat

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has warned that recent Russian drone activity near NATO airspace is part of a broader strategy by Moscow to test the limits of the West’s resolve, urging the European Union to adopt tougher sanctions against the Kremlin.

"What he wants to do is to test us — really how far he can go. And every time he's bolder, because he's able to be bolder because our response hasn't been strong enough," Kallas told journalists, in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin,  Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"I think it's a message that they are trying to send to really test our unity," she added.

Her comments came after a recent incident in which NATO scrambled fighter jets to intercept and shoot down Russian drones that had violated Polish airspace — a NATO member state. Kallas described the event as a “game changer,” calling for a stronger response from the European Union in the form of new sanctions.

She argued that while Europe’s defensive systems had proven effective in the immediate response, the threat posed by such incursions requires broader strategic action.

"The drones were taken down, so that means that we are able to defend ourselves, but it's clear that we need to do more," she said.

Kallas also stated she is considering whether to convene discussions with the EU’s defence and foreign ministers to coordinate a stronger collective response.

She emphasized the need for the bloc to bolster its drone defence capabilities and respond firmly to further provocations, signalling a shift in tone amid rising concerns over the security of NATO's eastern flank.

By Vafa Guliyeva