Ukraine war exposes EU strategic and technological vulnerabilities

The war in Ukraine has highlighted critical vulnerabilities in European strategic autonomy, shifting the global priority from economic efficiency to the security of essential resources such as steel, energy, semiconductors, and defense infrastructure. While the European Union aims for technological and industrial sovereignty, its structure as a regulatory body rather than a unified state creates challenges in making decisive strategic moves, as ultimate authority remains with individual member states.

In a specific technological dimension of this conflict, concerns have been raised regarding the use of Russian SIM cards for military and intelligence operations. Polish MEP Krzysztof Brejza warned that these cards allow Russian forces to guide drones and missiles with high precision by exploiting cellular infrastructures and EU roaming services near borders.

In response to calls for a bloc on Russian SIM cards, the European Commission noted that it lacks direct power over telecommunications network management. Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen stated that under the European Electronic Communications Code, individual member states have the authority to instruct providers to block specific numbers or services in cases of fraud or misuse, but such actions must be handled on a case-by-case basis.