Latvian President: Europe Would Not Be Able to Repel a Missile Attack
President Edgars Rinkēvičs warns that most NATO countries would struggle to stop a Russian missile strike, as drone warfare in Ukraine is evolving at a rapid pace.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed concern about Europe's readiness for a potential air attack in an interview with The Guardian. He said drone warfare in Ukraine is developing extremely fast, meaning current preparations for aerial warfare scenarios could become outdated as soon as next year.
Rinkēvičs stressed that Europe is failing to keep pace with the development of drone and aerial warfare technology. In his view, most NATO member states would not be able to repel a Russian missile strike if the conflict were to expand.
Serious Shortcomings
According to the president, air defense, anti-drone and missile defense systems all have serious problems — not only in Ukraine but across Europe and NATO as a whole. He acknowledged that these shortcomings affect all sides equally seriously.
Rinkēvičs warned that if Russia decided to launch several missiles at European territory, it would pose a serious challenge today for many countries — one that would be difficult to handle.
Warnings of Hybrid Attacks
The report notes that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has previously stated that intelligence points to Russian plans for hybrid strikes against countries supporting Ukraine. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys likewise confirmed that Lithuania also has information indicating Russia is preparing hybrid attacks against Ukraine's allies.
