A call for action has been made by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to the European Union for the construction of a defense line along the bloc’s border with Russia and Belarus. This initiative aims to protect the EU from military threats and other harmful activities originating from Moscow. The leaders of the four countries emphasized the urgent need for a joint effort to secure the 27-member bloc of 450 million people.
The proposed defense infrastructure system would address hybrid threats, which include a mix of military and non-military tactics such as cyber-attacks, disinformation, economic pressure, and border manipulation. The estimated cost of building the defense line along the EU’s eastern border is around 2.5 billion euros.
As the EU leaders convene in Brussels, European defense investments and financing will be a key topic of discussion. This initiative also complements a previous proposal for an EU air defense system modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome. The letter from the four countries stresses the importance of coordination with NATO for the planning and execution of the defense line.