Five EU commissioners from the Eastern Flank countries have urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take urgent measures due to increasing Russian threats to the Baltic states. Among the proposed steps is the creation of a new high-level position of special coordinator for the region.
This concerns an appeal sent to von der Leyen at the end of July by the head of the EU’s foreign policy department Kaja Kallas, Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen, and commissioners Valdis Dombrovskis, Andrius Kubilius, and Piotr Serafin. In the letter, they warned that the increasing security challenges on the Eastern Flank undermine the security of the European Union as a whole and called for additional measures.
The proposed special coordinator would become the single point of contact for the countries of the region, coordinate EU efforts in various policy areas, and demonstrate stronger support for the Eastern Flank.
The call comes amid growing concern among Northern and Eastern European countries bordering Russia and part of the so-called EU Eastern Flank. There are fears, in particular, that Moscow could expand the war in Ukraine, which would have consequences for the entire region.
Measures to increase readiness and coordination
In their letter, the commissioners called for accelerating measures to increase the region’s readiness, including strengthening the ability to respond to infrastructure disruptions, increasing regional reserves, and countering hybrid threats.
The proposed coordinator would cooperate with NATO and national authorities to identify gaps in civil readiness, protection of critical infrastructure, and population protection. EU funding is proposed to meet urgent needs.
The commissioners also called for a meeting of the College of Commissioners to be held this autumn in one of the Baltic states. In their opinion, such a visit would allow the EU leadership to directly assess the deterioration of the situation regarding regional security, public safety, and the economic situation.
Concerns have intensified following the recent visit to the region by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Some media linked this trip to a warning to Moscow about a possible attack on a NATO member country. At the same time, former President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves rejected this interpretation, stating that Russia’s calculations in the region have not changed.
In addition, the commissioners called for accelerating the Eastern Flank Watch initiative aimed at countering hybrid threats along the EU’s eastern border and providing it with additional funding. This comes amid increasingly frequent violations of airspace and drone incursions into the airspace of countries in the region.
Source: Euronews
