- Ursula von der Leyen Pledges Full Solidarity With Romania Amid Rising Security Concerns on NATO’s Eastern Flank
BRUSSELS — European Union leaders strongly condemned the Russian drone strike that hit a residential building in Romania, warning that the incident marks a dangerous escalation of the war’s spillover into NATO and EU territory.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said Russia’s actions represented another alarming escalation in its war against Ukraine.
“Russia’s war of aggression has crossed yet another line,” von der Leyen said in a statement posted on social media following the incident in Romania, an EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine.
“We stand in full solidarity with Romania and its people,” she added.
EU Vows Increased Pressure on Moscow
Von der Leyen emphasized that the European Union would continue strengthening security and deterrence measures along its eastern frontier while intensifying pressure on Moscow through additional sanctions and defense cooperation.
“As we continue strengthening our security and deterrence, especially on our Eastern border, we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia,” she stated.
The comments come as EU member states debate a new sanctions package against Russia, which would become the bloc’s 21st round of punitive measures since the launch of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Kaja Kallas Calls Incident ‘Blatant Violation’ of Sovereignty
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also condemned the incident, describing the drone incursion as a serious breach of Romanian and European airspace.
Kallas said she had spoken with Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu to express the European Union’s “full solidarity with Romania.”
“Moscow cannot be allowed to breach European airspace with impunity,” Kallas stated.
She further described the drone strike as “a blatant and serious violation of Romania’s sovereignty and European airspace,” warning that such incidents heighten security risks across the region.
EU Reinforces Commitment to Ukraine and European Defense
According to Kallas, EU foreign ministers meeting in Cyprus on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to increasing pressure on Russia while strengthening military and financial support for Ukraine.
The ministers also discussed expanding investments in European defense capabilities amid growing concerns over regional security and repeated airspace violations near NATO’s eastern borders.
The latest incident has intensified fears among European officials that the conflict in Ukraine could increasingly spill into neighboring NATO and EU states as Russian aerial attacks near border regions continue to escalate.
BY: The Times Union
