Baltic Sea nations plan joint drone defence task force to counter hybrid threats, Germany says; leaders meet in Flensburg

Baltic Sea nations, including Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, are uniting to form a joint drone defense task force aimed at countering increasing hybrid threats. This initiative was announced during a meeting in Flensburg, where leaders discussed urgent security challenges facing the region.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized the need for enhanced collective defense capabilities, stating, "Foreign powers are trying to attack our security with hybrid measures, to destabilize our democracies, to weaken our economy." He highlighted the growing frequency of drone attacks, cyber attacks, and disinformation campaigns as significant threats.

The meeting brought together interior ministers and senior officials from 10 European countries, focusing on strategies for better intelligence, deterrence, and defense. Dobrindt noted that the goal is to transform the Baltic from a "collective risk area" into a "collective defensive area." He warned that the hybrid threat is "omnipresent" and could escalate in the coming months.

The urgency of this task force is underscored by recent incidents of possible sabotage affecting undersea cables and critical gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, which have raised alarms since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Dobrindt stated, "We must prepare ourselves for the hybrid threat situation continuing to intensify."

Germany has heightened its focus on drone threats following an incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport, where an explosive-laden drone was discovered, prompting concerns over national security and foreign interference.