EU defence chief says a ‘painful response’ to Russian hybrid threats is needed
EU defence chief says a painful Russian hybrid-threat response is needed
Poinews.com – EU defence chief says a painful response is needed to deter Russian hybrid provocations that fall short of open warfare, according to Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. The European Commission is considering stronger ways to support countries facing incidents that affect security, infrastructure and public confidence.
“We can find ways for how Russia will pay quite a painful price for their provocations,”
Kubilius said the approach reflects the message delivered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the European Union address on Wednesday. The aim is to establish a practical European response to serious threats that may not qualify as armed aggression but can still cause major disruption.
Responding to hybrid threats
Hybrid threats can include drone incursions, damage to undersea cables and migration pressure at external borders. These actions are often difficult to attribute and counter because they occupy the space between peace and conventional military conflict.
For EU countries on the eastern flank, repeated incidents can require substantial resources even when they do not trigger a formal military crisis. Concerns over airspace, border pressure, communications links and energy infrastructure can also have consequences far beyond the country directly affected.
EU defence chief says a painful response should make future provocations more costly. The Commission is also considering how it can offer greater assistance to the member states most exposed to such pressure.
An Emergency Security Protocol
One proposal is an Emergency Security Protocol that would work alongside NATO’s Article 4 consultation process. A member state facing a serious hybrid incident could activate the mechanism, bringing EU governments together to coordinate a response.
“When triggered by one member state, all member states would convene to coordinate a European response, to deter further escalation and to mitigate the impact.”
The protocol could provide a clearer political channel for rapid solidarity when no armed attack has taken place. Potential measures could include diplomatic action, cyber assistance, support for affected infrastructure and wider security coordination, although the final structure remains under development.
Five commissioners from the Baltic region urged the EU executive last month to take a firmer position following the continuing pattern of incidents. Their call underlined the concern that hybrid activity can test European unity without crossing the threshold for a conventional military response.
A European Security Council proposal
Von der Leyen has also raised the possibility of a European Security Council, bringing together EU leaders and closely aligned partners. Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada were named among the countries that could participate.
The proposed forum would give leaders a regular setting to discuss Europe’s most pressing geopolitical challenges. Russia’s increasingly assertive conduct and uncertainty over the United States’ future role in European security have made those discussions more urgent.
“For a long time, we have discussed a leaders’ format focused on the security of our continent,”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy already takes part regularly in meetings with European leaders. A dedicated council could formalise this engagement and create more consistent high-level discussions on Ukraine’s defence and regional stability.
Any new format will face scrutiny over how it relates to NATO. The alliance has been Europe’s main collective-defence structure for 77 years, and 23 EU states are NATO members. An EU-led body would need to improve coordination and political focus without duplicating NATO’s role.
FAQ: EU action against hybrid threats
What is a hybrid threat?
A hybrid threat is pressure that can damage a country’s security without becoming a conventional armed attack. It may involve drones, cyber activity, disruption to critical infrastructure or pressure at borders.
What would the Emergency Security Protocol do?
It would allow an EU member state affected by a serious hybrid incident to seek a coordinated European response. The proposal is intended to help governments act quickly, limit the impact of an incident and discourage further escalation.
Why does the EU want a stronger response?
The EU defence chief says a painful response could deter further provocations by showing that attacks on one member state’s security, infrastructure or borders carry wider European consequences.