EU officials discuss Russian sabotage threats and Ukraine defense

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has warned of planned Russian sabotage operations within European territory, citing intelligence reports that Moscow aims to undermine social cohesion and weaken support for Ukraine.

During meetings in Brussels, EU foreign and defense ministers are discussing several strategic responses. These include a Commission proposal for an emergency protocol to counter hybrid threats below the threshold of armed conflict and the potential establishment of a mechanism similar to NATO’s ‘Article 4’ to facilitate immediate consultations when a member's security is threatened.

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Kallas has issued an urgent call for nations possessing Patriot anti-aircraft systems to release interception missiles from their stockpiles to bolster Ukrainian defenses against ongoing aerial threats. Additionally, the EU is addressing the need to strengthen naval operations in the Red Sea to protect commercial shipping, noting a current shortage of available warships.