(MENAFN) EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced on Wednesday that the bloc’s new drone defense strategy is designed to complement NATO efforts, enhancing Europe’s security against potential aerial threats. She emphasized that “the drones could come from anywhere.”

“The military plans come from NATO, that’s very clear. But the procurement has to be done by the member states,” Kallas told reporters ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council on defense. She explained that the EU’s role is to “help the member states to do the joint procurements, flagship projects, so that it would actually help the member states to fill their capability targets.”

Kallas noted that the initiative evolved from a regional “drone wall” concept into a Europe-wide strategy as other nations recognized shared vulnerabilities, including threats originating from the sea and the south. “We are actually talking about the whole of Europe when it comes to drone defense,” she said.

She also highlighted potential cooperation with Ukraine’s defense sector, stating that it could “bring the procurement costs down, procurement times down,” pointing out that Kyiv’s battlefield innovations provide useful insights for Europe’s wider defense planning.

Regarding possible EU involvement in Gaza, Kallas said the bloc could assist through its existing missions rather than launching new military operations. She referenced the EU Border Assistance Mission at Rafah, which has reopened, and the EU Police Mission supporting Palestinian police training, adding that their mandates could be expanded “if it's necessary.”

“So far, we haven't put forward any concrete plans to have a separate military mission. It's up to the member states,” she added.

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