Von der Leyen Urges EU Counter-Hybrid Mechanism After Drone Incursions

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for the European Union to establish a NATO-style mechanism to respond to drone incursions, sabotage and cyberattacks across the continent, many of which have been blamed on Russia.

Addressing the situation on Wednesday, von der Leyen said Europe required its own "counter-hybrid playbook" and urged consensus on how to react to incidents that "fall below armed aggression but clearly threaten our national security."

The proposal draws on NATO's Article 4, which allows member states that believe their territory is under threat to convene emergency consultations. Under the envisioned EU arrangement, a trigger by one member state would bring all member states together to coordinate a European response, deter further escalation and mitigate the impact. Article 4 is distinct from NATO's Article 5, the collective security guarantee that obliges allies to come to the aid of a member under attack.

The call follows a series of incidents reported by officials in Germany, Denmark and Poland in recent weeks, including drone incursions, sabotage, arson, surveillance of defence facilities and an alleged plan to use a drone carrying explosives to attack an airport.

Earlier this week, Italian fighter jets operating with NATO shot down a drone over EU member Lithuania — the first such downing in its airspace. The drone was believed to have entered from Belarus, an ally of Russia.

European and NATO officials have struggled to determine the most appropriate response to hostile acts that stop short of outright aggression.

Von der Leyen also said the Commission would set out ideas to make a European Security Council a reality, involving international partners such as Britain, Canada, Norway and Ukraine. No further details were provided.