German Chancellor Friedrich Merz does not support the idea of financing the "drone wall" project with EU funds, the European publication Politico reported, citing its sources.
The chancellor expressed this opinion behind closed doors at the summit of the European political community in Copenhagen. A diplomatic source said that Merz criticized the proposal in "very sharp" words.
Some politicians have supported the implementation of the project, admitting that its name could change. European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius believes that the word "wall" could be “misleading“. He hopes that the project “will not be a new Maginot Line“, referring to the French defensive fortifications during World War II, which Germany overcame with minimal losses. The European Commissioner also recalled that the initial cost of the project was estimated at 1 billion EUR.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she would propose immediate measures to create a “drone wall“ on the eastern flank of Europe. She also noted that the response to the alleged encroachments on EU airspace would be “decisive and united“. The “drone wall“ project is a joint initiative of Germany, Poland, Finland and the Baltic states, aimed at deploying a multi-layered system for surveillance and automated anti-drone protection systems along the border with Russia. The project is in the development and prototype selection phase.