Latvia's President: Most NATO States Cannot Repel Russian Missile Attack

Latvia's President Edgars Rinkevics has warned that Europe is falling behind in rapidly evolving air warfare technology, as demonstrated by the war in Ukraine. In an interview with The Guardian, Rinkevics stated that drone and air defense technologies are advancing so fast that current preparedness measures may be obsolete by next year.

NATO's Air Defense Gap

Rinkevics said that most NATO countries would be unable to repel a Russian missile attack if the conflict in Ukraine were to spread. He noted that air defense systems, drone protection, and anti-missile systems are not keeping pace with technological development, adding that what constitutes sufficient protection today could prove inadequate in just twelve months.

Ukraine Setting the Pace

The Latvian president emphasized that the war in Ukraine is driving technological evolution in drone warfare at an unprecedented speed. Europe needs to dramatically accelerate its investments in air defense and counter-drone capabilities before the technological gap with Russia grows even wider, he argued.