European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday classified Russia's behavior as "reckless and dangerous," following two separate incidents: a Russian warship fired emergency flares dangerously close to a Danish helicopter in international waters off southern Denmark, and a drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus before being destroyed by NATO fighter jets.
Von der Leyen said these are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of Russian aggression and provocation against Europe that has been intensifying since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The leader affirmed that Europe will reinforce its collective deterrence and defense together with NATO and increase pressure on Russia.
The two episodes occur in a context of growing concern among NATO's eastern flank countries regarding drone incursions, military activities, and hybrid actions associated with Russia's strategy of pressure and destabilization. Denmark is responsible for one of the main maritime passages between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, while Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are directly exposed to Russian and Belarusian military activity.
Von der Leyen is expected to address what she has already classified as a "new era" of hybrid threats in the speech she will deliver on Wednesday before the European Parliament, her second State of the Union of this term, in which she has been advocating for a more militarily prepared Europe with greater investment in the defense industry.
