Coverage of EU and NATO measures to counter Russian hostile actions, including drone attacks and other escalations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed an 'Emergency Security Protocol' to coordinate EU responses to hybrid attacks, as NATO jets downed a drone over Lithuania and Germany received its first F-35. Meanwhile, EU sanctions extension remains stalled by Slovakia, and Russia plans super-prisons in occupied Kherson.
A NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Russian drone over Lithuania on 15 September, part of a series of Russian provocations near NATO borders. The alliance has pledged more support for Ukraine, while the EU faces internal divisions over sanctions.
Russian drone strikes hit within 2 km of the Polish border on 13 September, targeting a train carrying Western politicians and a petrol station. Polish forces recovered a Russian-origin drone from the Baltic Sea the next day. NATO chief Mark Rutte pledged increased support for Ukraine, while the EU struggles to extend sanctions due to Slovak opposition.
Germany formally blamed Russia for a failed drone attack on Leipzig airport in August, prompting EU and NATO leaders to promise a stepped-up response. Meanwhile, the EU postponed a decision on extending individual sanctions against over 3,000 Russian entities due to Slovakia's opposition, as Brussels also dismissed a false Russian claim about mobilising Ukrainian women.