Vilnius [Lithuania], May 25: Lithuania (Lithuania) said this Baltic country and five other NATO members bordering Russia have agreed to build a 'drone wall' to protect their borders against 'provocative actions'.
Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite announced the above plan on May 24 after talks with counterparts from two Baltic countries , Estonia and Latvia, as well as Poland, Finland and Norway , according to AFP. .
The plan to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to protect the border was agreed upon because of security concerns in the region amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine . However, Ms. Bilotaite did not say when this plan will be implemented.
"This is something completely new, a drone wall stretching from Norway to Poland and the goal is to use drones and other technology to protect our borders," BNS news agency quoted Ms. Bilotaite.
"It's not just infrastructure and surveillance systems on the ground, but also drones and other technologies that will help protect us from provocations from nation states," she said. unfriendly, as well as preventing smuggling".
In addition to deploying UAVs to monitor borders, the above countries will also use anti-UAV systems to prevent similar enemy devices.
Tensions between Russia and NATO have increased sharply since Russia launched a "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow originally opposed NATO expansion, but the war in Ukraine became the reason why Sweden and Finland, two traditionally neutral countries, quickly sought to join the military alliance led by the US.
Ukraine also wants to join NATO, but this will almost certainly not happen in the near future.
The US State Department announced on May 24 that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Czech Republic and Moldova next week. As planned, he will attend an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the capital Prague. US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien revealed that the meeting will prepare decisions to be made at the NATO summit in July in Washington DC.
"We don't expect there will be an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO (at the conference), but we do think there will be significant support for Ukraine as it tries to win its war." , Mr. O'Brien told reporters at a press conference on May 24, according to Reuters.
On the same day, the US announced a military aid package worth $275 million to Ukraine, including ammunition, missiles, mines and artillery shells. This is the latest aid package that US President Joe Biden ordered to be transferred to Kyiv since the US Congress approved a $61 billion aid plan.
"This $275 million aid package is part of our effort to help Ukraine repel the Russian attack near Kharkiv, containing urgently needed capabilities," AFP quoted Secretary of State Blinken as saying.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper