The European Union wants to strengthen its response to Russian hybrid attacks

The European Union will discuss on Monday in Brussels the possible creation of its own emergency mechanism, inspired by Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, to coordinate member states’ response more quickly to hybrid attacks attributed to Russia.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the mechanism would cover threats below the threshold of armed aggression and establish the tools through which European countries can act together. The proposal was recently launched by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Article 4 of the NATO Treaty allows a member state to request urgent consultations when it considers that its security, political independence or territorial integrity is threatened, without automatically triggering a military response.

The discussions come after warnings about an intensification of Russian hybrid attacks. Denmark’s military intelligence services assessed that Moscow could target multiple Western targets, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk mentioned drone and missile attacks against Ukraine’s allies.

Germany and Finland have backed the need for close coordination between the EU and NATO. European officials believe these actions also aim to psychologically destabilize states supporting Kyiv. NATO, for its part, has called for increased support for Ukraine.