VILNIUS, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Ensuring the security of the European Union's (EU) borders and airspace is a shared interest of all member states, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said on Thursday, as some European countries are skeptical of the bloc's "drone wall" initiative.
Budrys made the remarks after meeting with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze in Vilnius, according to the Baltic News Service(BNS).
The EU aims to have a new system of anti-drone defenses partly operational by the end of 2026 and fully functional in 2027.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's initial "drone wall" proposal was met with some skepticism from countries such as Germany, which fear the bloc may be encroaching on NATO's role.
Germany and France are reluctant for the EU executive to take too central a role in military planning, which is a matter for national governments.
Countries in the south of the bloc have also called for the drone initiative to cover not only the EU's eastern nations.
Concerns about counter-drone measures have intensified after Russian aircraft allegedly violated the airspace of NATO members Poland, Estonia, and Romania in recent months, according to BNS. ■