Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken has issued a stark warning that Europe must accelerate its defence efforts to counter a looming wave of Russian hybrid attacks. Speaking at the Euronews Defence Summit in Brussels, Francken described the coming months as a 'dark winter' for the continent, urging member states to bolster their air defences and industrial capacity.
Francken, who has been in office since February, told the summit that Russia poses the most significant threat to Belgium's security. The country has already witnessed several drone incidents this year, some of which disrupted air traffic at major airports. 'Russia, air attack, air attack, air attack. This is the biggest threat. So we need air defence, air defence, air defence,' he said.
The minister emphasised that Europe cannot afford to lag behind in technological innovation. He pointed to the need for Ukrainian expertise in countering Russian jet-powered drones, which have become a growing concern for NATO allies. 'We need to have more stocks, more production, scale up production, and a large industrial base. Everything has to go faster. There will be more hybrid threat actions in the next few months. It will be a dark winter for Europe,' Francken warned.
Belgium's defence spending under scrutiny
Francken acknowledged that Belgium has historically underinvested in its military, calling the country the 'worst pupil of the NATO class' with defence spending at just 1% of GDP. He noted that spending has since doubled, but admitted that decades of neglect cannot be reversed overnight. 'I cannot do in 18 months what has been neglected for 40 years,' he said.
Belgium's budgetary constraints are particularly acute, as the country holds the highest debt-to-GDP ratio in the European Union. Despite these challenges, Francken insisted that the government remains committed to increasing defence expenditure. He also stressed the importance of adapting to rapid technological changes, warning against stockpiling equipment that could quickly become obsolete. 'I don't want to have 200,000 drones somewhere in a stock, and in two months you cannot even use them because they're outdated. So we have to adapt,' he explained.
The summit, which brought together defence officials and experts, comes as Europe grapples with a heightened security environment. The Brussels summit is part of broader efforts to address the continent's defence readiness and hybrid threats. NATO's leadership has also joined the discussions as Europe rethinks its defence posture.
Francken's remarks echo concerns raised by other European leaders about the need for a more robust and coordinated response to Russian aggression. Estonia has recently blamed Russian special services for arson at a defence firm, highlighting the breadth of hybrid tactics being employed.
As Europe prepares for a potentially difficult winter, the call for faster action on defence is likely to resonate across the continent. Whether member states can translate these warnings into concrete measures remains to be seen, but Francken's message is clear: time is not on Europe's side.
