Latvian president says Europe is lagging behind in drone warfare — The Guardian
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said in an interview in Washington, United States, that Europe is failing to keep pace with the rapid development of unmanned and aerial technologies during Russia's aggression against Ukraine. According to The Guardian, he believes that current measures to prepare for air warfare could become outdated by the middle of next year.
Rinkēvičs said that problems exist in air defence, counter-drone defence and missile defence, both in Ukraine and in Europe and NATO. According to him, if the Russian Federation, the aggressor state, were to launch several missiles against NATO territory, many countries would currently find it difficult to repel such an attack.
Delays in missile supplies
The Latvian president drew attention to delays in supplying Ukraine and European allies with interceptor missiles for Patriot and other air defence systems. The outlet notes that the United States used nearly two-thirds of its stockpile of critical interceptor missiles during the war in Iran, and replenishing these reserves could take at least five years.
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According to Rinkēvičs, the United States considered the possibility of locating Patriot production in Ukraine and Europe, but no agreement has yet been reached. He noted that negotiations are continuing and involve technical difficulties, particularly regarding licensing. At the same time, in his assessment, Patriots remain among the most effective systems for countering such threats.
Warning from NATO allies
On the eve of the UN General Assembly in New York, NATO allies stepped up warnings about the risk of an escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a speech on Thursday that Russia could in the coming months strike NATO countries supporting Ukraine with drones or missiles in order to test the effectiveness of the collective defence principle under Article 5.
Rinkēvičs ruled out a conventional military invasion by Russia, but called for vigilance regarding other threats. He listed sabotage, cyberattacks, and drone and missile incidents among such risks. The Latvian president also stressed that Europe needs time to build real defence capabilities: this cannot be achieved in a month or even a year.
