European defence ministers of the E5 meet in Krakow, vow stronger support for Ukraine, joint drone production and greater readiness ahead of the Ankara NATO summit.Europe’s five largest defence spenders announced a joint programme on Friday to develop low-cost drones and autonomous platforms, drawing on Ukrainian battlefield experience from nearly four years of Russia’s all-out invasion.Defence ministers from Poland, France, Germany, Italy and the UK met in Krakow to launch the Low-Cost Effectors and Autonomous Platforms (LEAP) initiative.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov joined the meeting via video link, alongside EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska.
The programme aims to develop cheaper alternatives to expensive air defence missiles for shooting down drones, as Russia’s war in Ukraine has shown how autonomous interceptor drones can be a cheap and effective tool against aerial threats.
The programme aims to develop cheaper alternatives to expensive air defence missiles for shooting down drones, as Russia’s war in Ukraine has shown how autonomous interceptor drones can be a cheap and effective tool against aerial threats.
“We are implementing the experience from Ukraine and developing our industrial potential in a dynamic way. Europe has woken up,” Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said at a press conference after the meeting.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said unmanned systems have revolutionised warfare in Ukraine, changing operational planning for many armies.
He noted that drones are continually modernised rather than bought “for stock”, with AI now integrated into drone systems.
“Technologies and combat techniques are changing dynamically, we need to respond quickly and adequately,” he said.
Translate This Article
