MEPs call for military reinforcements on the Eastern Flank
Drone incursions into Romania: a topic of debate in the European Parliament.
Leyla Cheamil, 17.06.2026, 13:50
On Tuesday, the European Parliament debated the security incidents in Galați and Constanța (southeastern Romania) involving drones. As a reminder, at the end of May, a drone crashed into an apartment building in Galați. The impact was followed by an explosion and a fire, and two people were injured. A few days later, in early June, a naval drone exploded in the Port of Constanța, the largest port on the Black Sea, without causing any casualties. The Romanian head of state, Nicușor Dan, stated at the time that this situation was a direct consequence of the war of aggression launched by Russia against Ukraine.
On Tuesday, members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg called on the European Union to strengthen its eastern flank militarily and to impose sanctions on Russia. Of the several dozen speakers, only two MEPs argued for Europe to scale back its support for Ukraine. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated that recent incursions by Russian drones into EU member states were not isolated incidents, but were coordinated and organized to test the willingness of EU countries to retaliate. She called on the EU to respond with unity, greater deterrence, and resolve, so as to send a firm message to Moscow that Europe stands united in defending its security, stability, and values. “The EU’s next budget for the period 2028–2034 must demonstrate that the EU takes this seriously,” the head of European diplomacy added.
Examples of incidents such as those reported in Romania were joined by those from all European countries on the eastern flank, including Finland, the Baltic states, and Poland. One of the unanswered questions concerns how many of the drones that entered European airspace were intentionally controlled by Russia along this route and to what extent Russia is testing the capabilities of the European Union and NATO. The European Parliament as a whole is calling not only for border states to be equipped with military hardware to counter the drones, but also for tougher measures—particularly economic ones—against Russia.
Tuesday’s debate was initiated by Victor Negrescu of Romania, Vice President of the European Parliament representing the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, but the initiative was supported by all other political groups. Victor Negrescu has stressed that these incidents pose a direct threat to European citizens and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea region. For his part, Romanian MEP Siegfried Mureșan said that, through these actions, the Russian Federation is testing Europeans’ vigilance and their ability to respond. “Our response must be clear: the European Union protects its citizens. The countries on the eastern flank are on the front lines; as such, they need adequate tools to respond to these increasingly frequent threats,” Siegfried Mureșan emphasised. (MI)
