European Commission Warns: Russia's Attack on EU Countries Will Be Viewed as Aggression Against the Entire Bloc
In a significant statement, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Renier emphasized that any aggression from Russia against EU member states would be perceived as an attack on the entire bloc. This warning comes amid rising tensions between Russia and EU nations, particularly in light of threats emanating from Moscow.
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Renier made an important statement, emphasizing that any aggression from Russia against member states of the European Union will be perceived as an attack on the entire bloc. This announcement comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions in relations between Russia and EU countries, particularly following threats that have emerged from Moscow. This was reported by European Pravda on Tuesday, April 7.
"An attack on one of our member states is an attack on the EU as a whole," Renier stressed, clearly outlining the European Commission's position regarding potential actions by Russia. This statement was a response to recent threats from Russian officials concerning the use of EU airspace for Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory.
It is worth noting that on March 31, during a briefing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow would take "retaliatory measures" if EU countries allowed Ukraine to use their airspace to attack Russia. "Certainly, we believe that if airspace is provided for conducting hostile terrorist activities against the Russian Federation, it will compel us to draw appropriate conclusions and take corresponding measures," Peskov said, underscoring the seriousness of the threats.
Thomas Renier also noted that the European Commission has "seen media reports" about Russia's threats against the Baltic states. The European official reminded that initiatives are being implemented to protect EU member states from external interference. Among these initiatives are drone defense programs and the establishment of an Air Shield, which are currently priorities for the European Union.
On March 27, the Latvian Ministry of Defense refuted claims from Russia that the Baltic countries allegedly allow Ukraine to use their territories for attacks on Russia. In a press release, the Latvian defense ministry stated that Russia is conducting a coordinated information operation against Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia aimed at discrediting NATO, dividing society, undermining trust in state institutions, and weakening support for Ukraine.
On March 31, the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces also denied information regarding the use of Polish airspace for Ukrainian attacks on Russia. These statements indicate that neighboring countries of Russia do not wish to participate in the conflict and are attempting to avoid escalating tensions.
The commander of the Estonian Defense Forces' intelligence center, Colonel Ants Kiviselg, also refuted information from Russian media claiming that Estonia and other Baltic countries had "allowed" Ukraine to use their territory to launch drones at Russian ports. These statements only highlight that the Baltic countries are actively defending their position and trying to prevent misinformation from Russia.
On March 23, Lithuanian military officials reported a suspicious drone that entered the country’s airspace. It crashed into an ice-covered body of water approximately 20 kilometers from the border with Belarus. The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense suggested that the drone was likely flying to attack the Primorsk port in Russia's Leningrad region. It was during the night of March 23 that drone attacks on the Russian ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga began.
On March 25, the Latvian Air Force detected a drone that had entered the country’s airspace from Russia. A similar incident occurred in Estonia, where a drone crashed into the chimney of a power station in the village of Auvere. The Estonian side later stated that this was a Ukrainian UAV that had veered off course, and the target of the attack was Russia, not Estonia.
On March 30, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tikhiy stated that Kyiv had not directed UAVs towards the Baltic countries, commenting on the incidents involving drones that had entered Lithuania and subsequently Latvia and Estonia. At the same time, he noted that in some cases, the deviation of the UAVs from their course was caused by Russian electronic warfare measures, and he apologized to the residents of the Baltic countries for these incidents.