European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called out both Russia and Belarus for drones appearing over the Baltic states, calling any threat to NATO “completely unacceptable.”
“Russia’s public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable. Let there be no doubt. A threat against one Member State is a threat against our entire Union,” the EU commission head posted on X.
Russia’s public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable.
Let there be no doubt.
A threat against one Member State is a threat against our entire Union.
Russia and Belarus bear direct responsibility for drones endangering the lives and security of people…
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 20, 2026Von der Leyen made it clear that NATO is ready to defend the entire alliance, were any part of it attacked.
“Russia and Belarus bear direct responsibility for drones endangering the lives and security of people on our Eastern flank. Europe will respond with unity and strength. We will continue reinforcing the security of our Eastern flank with strong collective defence and preparedness at every level,” she concluded.
Some social media accounts are running the narrative that Russia intends to provoke NATO into an attack, although, aside from von der Leyen’s comment yesterday, such reports have not been officially confirmed.
According to the GeoInsider X account, the Russian ambassador to the UN was feeding reports to the Security Council that Latvia was allegedly providing territory for Ukraine to launch drones against Russia.
“For weeks, Moscow has been publicly building a narrative that the Baltic states are allowing drone strikes from their territories against Russia. The pattern fits the way Moscow constructs pretexts: first an internal narrative, then a diplomatic move, and then an operational one,” they wrote.
Separately, the Latvian foreign minister made a media appearance during which she said that Moscow was simply looking for someone to blame, since it has failed to protect itself from Ukraine’s long-range missile strikes. The Latvian Foreign Ministry posted her comment and video excerpt to X, writing: “Foreign Minister @Braze_Baiba: the Kremlin ‘needs to blame someone else for the fact that Russia can’t defend itself against long-range Ukrainian precision strikes.”
Foreign Minister @Braze_Baiba: the Kremlin “needs to blame someone else for the fact that Russia can’t defend itself against long-range Ukrainian precision strikes.” https://t.co/nScawBTceo
— Latvian MFA 🇱🇻 | #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 (@Latvian_MFA) May 20, 2026However, just this morning, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže also noted the ongoing appearance of Russian drones in Latvian airspace: “Latvia’s National Security Council met to consult on the drone incidents in our airspace. It warned that such incidents can repeat as Russia continues aggression against Ukraine, thanked NATO Allies for support, and refuted Russia’s hostile disinformation.”
Latvia’s National Security Council met to consult on the drone incidents in our airspace. It warned that such incidents can repeat as Russia continues aggression against Ukraine, thanked NATO Allies for support, and refuted Russia’s hostile disinformation. https://t.co/CyO71oKyFD
— Baiba Braže (@Braze_Baiba) May 21, 2026Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys also posted: “Another drone. Another air alert in the Baltics. This time – near Lithuania’s border with Belarus. #NATO Baltic Air Policing was activated.” He also stressed the need for better frontline defense and “counter-drone capabilities.”
“EU Eastern Flank Watch initiative must be implemented& Special EU instrument for resilience of Eastern Flank urgently created - NATO’s frontline needs air defense& stronger counter-drone capabilities - EU critical infrastructure protection must be strengthened, as well as measures to counter Kremlin’s propaganda narratives,” the foreign minister emphasized.
Meanwhile, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna thanked von der Leyen for her support: “Thank you @vonderleyen, for your clear and strong message of European unity: a threat against one EU Member State is a threat against us all.”
He also clarified that “Estonia has not opened its airspace for the purpose of carrying out attacks, and claims of this kind are simply lies. Drones entering NATO airspace are the result of Russian interference.”
