Lithuania and Estonia have been denied European Union funding for their joint “drone wall” project, an initiative designed to strengthen surveillance and counter-drone defense along their eastern borders, primarily in response to potential threats from Russia.
The proposal, initially announced in May 2024, aimed to build a comprehensive drone detection and defense system using unmanned aerial vehicles and countermeasures to monitor and secure border zones. Estonia led the application for EU funding, with Lithuania and other regional partners participating. The total cost of the project was estimated at €12 million, including €4 million for Estonia and €2.5 million allocated for Lithuania.
On April 7, Lithuanian officials confirmed that the EU declined to fund the initiative. While no official reason for the rejection has been made public, the governments of both Baltic states are now exploring alternative financing options. These include using state budgets or seeking bilateral support from other NATO and EU partners.
Rustamas Liubajevas, head of Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service, emphasized the strategic importance of the system. He stated that efforts are now underway to restructure the project as a regional data-sharing and drone defense network. Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladas Kondratovičius added that the project is “not dead” and that a revised EU application could be submitted in the future.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas echoed this sentiment, announcing that national funds may be used to move the project forward independently if necessary.
The funding rejection came days after Estonia expelled a Russian national deemed a threat to national security on April 5, further highlighting growing regional concerns over Russian influence and hybrid threats along NATO’s eastern frontier.
