Von der Leyen: “When the Baltic states are put to the test, the whole of Europe is put to the test”

Brussels – “Europe stands in full solidarity and unity with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Because when the Baltic states are put to the test, it is the whole of Europe that is put to the test”. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, chose these words to open her remarks at a press conference today (26 May) in Vilnius, following her meeting with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The President flew to Lithuania specifically to convey in person the entire Union’s solidarity with the Baltic states at a time when “Europe’s eastern border” is increasingly exposed to drone incursions from Moscow and the repercussions of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. “The people of the Baltic states are experiencing what many thought belonged to another era. Air raid alerts, families in shelters, schools closed, transport at a standstill,” said the President. “We must be clear about what this means: these are not isolated incidents, but a deliberate strategy on Russia’s part, aimed at destabilising our democratic societies,” she clarified. 

The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, put the situation in no uncertain terms: “The Baltic states have not allowed, and will not allow, their territory or airspace to be used for attacks against other countries. All attempts by the Kremlin to shift the blame onto others are merely cynical propaganda, designed to divert attention from the fundamental fact: it was Russia that launched the brutal and illegal war against Ukraine,” he stated. Nausėda voiced concern that the skies above the Baltic States “are not sufficiently secure” and “the European Union’s eastern border is under increasing pressure every day: from drone incursions to electronic jamming, from information attacks to threats of sabotage against critical infrastructure.”

In this context, von der Leyen believes that operational readiness must be the priority. 

Consequently, the Baltic states will receive “a further €12 billion through the SAFE programme,” which provides for up to €150 billion in loans to EU member states for defence spending. Lithuania’s SAFE plan has already been signed, while the President has stated she is ready to proceed “with Estonia and Latvia at any time.” Von der Leyen also highlighted the Baltic states’ progress in anti-drone systems and cyber defence, describing them as “of great importance for the whole of Europe.” And still on the subject of financial resources, von der Leyen explained to journalists that €1.5 billion is available from cohesion funds, now earmarked for defence, and €28 billion through the new East Invest Facility. And, for the next long-term budget, “the Commission proposes to triple investment in migration and border management, quintuple that for defence and increase investment in military mobility tenfold.” 

On the multilateral front, the President highlighted the launch of a UN fund in cooperation with the defence sector, through which €1.5 billion has been raised in the three Baltic states for defence and economic security. She also called for closer coordination between national systems and European platforms such as Copernicus and Galileo, to strengthen early warning and anti-drone systems along the entire eastern flank. The President then called for the creation of a European protocol for hybrid situations, which would allow for “the rapid mobilisation of all EU members” in the face of cyber threats and disinformation campaigns. For von der Leyen, however, it remains essential to integrate Kyiv into the European strategy for the defence industry. “Europe and Ukraine must jointly create defensive capabilities that are more innovative than those of our adversaries,” she stated. 

Meanwhile, from Brussels, the European Commission’s spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Anitta Hipper, responded to the threat issued yesterday by Moscow for foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv. “We have seen that Russia is merely trying to sow panic and spread fear. They want fear and isolation, in Ukraine and elsewhere. But we have a clear message: this will not work. In fact, the EU is maintaining its presence and operations in Kyiv. And these threats smack of desperation” because “Russia is losing on the battlefield, so now it is once again resorting to threatening civilians and civilian infrastructure,” she said. According to the Berlaymont, the attacks “are unfortunately a daily reality for Ukraine, for Kyiv and its citizens.” So much so that “even our delegation on the ground and the headquarters of our civilian mission have been hit by reckless attacks,” Hipper noted. “We reiterate that any deliberate attack against civilians and non-military targets constitutes a war crime. All commanders, perpetrators and accomplices of these grave violations of international and humanitarian law will be held to account,” she emphasised. According to the Commission, all this demonstrates that “Russia has shown, once again, what we already knew: that Russia is absolutely not interested in peace and cares not one bit about any efforts in that direction.” Therefore, “for our part, we will continue to support Ukraine, which needs air defence systems and greater financial aid.” 

This point was also reiterated in Vilnius by President von der Leyen, who did not comment on the suggestion of appointing a European envoy to initiate direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “No one wants peace more than the Ukrainian people,” she observed, “and we must always bear that in mind. If Russia stops its aggression, the war will end. And we Europeans have been ready from day one to commit to a peace process, without any reservations.” The problem, she added, is that Russia shows no willingness to do so and “the bombings of recent days speak for themselves.” Nausėda echoed this, clarifying that any talks can begin “only when Russia calls for a genuine ceasefire and puts an end to its aggression in Ukraine.” On the method, the Lithuanian president said he was opposed to any fragmented approach. “The worst option is to speak separately with 27 different voices,” he commented. “There have been attempts of this kind in the past. All failed, we can say that clearly.” Hence, his explicit support for “a single voice on behalf of the whole of Europe.” 

Finally, von der Leyen highlighted the finalisation of the €90 billion loan to Kyiv, which will provide Ukraine with the resources to acquire military capabilities and fund its budget for the next two years, “so that it can negotiate from a position of strength.”