European countries seek a common process against Russia's hybrid attacks

According to the Financial Times, countries disagree on how to oppose the Kremlin's ongoing sabotage, arson and destabilization actions. But a growing number of countries are seeking joint processes to punish Russia for attacks that do not meet the criteria to invoke NATO's mutual defense provision, known as "Article 5."

EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius evaluated: "If we face hybrid warfare, we need a hybrid defense. This is very clear... We will look at how to define which tools we should be ready to use."

DEFENSE MINISTERS ARE COMING TOGETHER

EU defense ministers will meet in Brussels today to discuss the European Commission's proposal to establish a new Emergency Security Protocol that could be put in place to coordinate effective responses if countries are subject to such attacks.

This would be similar to talks initiated under NATO's Article 4 if an ally feels its "security is threatened". NATO's Article 4 was put into effect nine times in total, twice last year.

'EUROPE'S PREPAREDNESS SHOULD INCREASE'

Many European diplomats said there was widespread confusion about what the new protocol would do and uneasiness about any mechanism that could compete with NATO's processes and make it harder to intervene.