European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that Europe must respond decisively to hybrid warfare, citing recent drone incidents and other airspace violations as evidence of a broader strategy targeting the continent.

Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said, “This is not random harassment. It is a coherent and escalating campaign to unsettle our citizens, test our resolve, divide our Union, and weaken our support for Ukraine. And it is time to call it by its name. This is hybrid warfare.”

While she did not explicitly assign all incidents to Russia, von der Leyen noted that some European officials have attributed recent airspace violations to Moscow and that the broader goal appears to be sowing division within Europe.

Von der Leyen emphasized that addressing hybrid threats requires more than traditional defence strategies. “This requires a new mind-set for all of us. We can either shy away and watch Russian threats escalate, or we meet them with unity, deterrence and resolve,” she said, urging EU nations to adopt a coordinated and robust approach.