When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a new “counter-hybrid playbook” in her recent State of the Union address, she conceded a grim reality: Europe’s institutions have failed to keep pace with Moscow’s escalating campaign of grey zone aggression. However, the response in Brussels remains focused on reacting to Russian actions rather than establishing credible deterrence. Admitting Europe’s vulnerability is a necessary first step. But managing the aftermath of Russian attacks is neither strategy nor “strategic independence.”
The approach envisioned by von der Leyen appears to suffer from a number of flaws including the same unanimity requirements that have repeatedly stalled EU sanctions. A single captured government can block collective action against Russia, as has repeatedly happened since 2022.
There are now plans to create a European Security Council bringing together EU leaders with partners including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada. However, it is not clear whether this new body will help streamline collective responses, especially if all participants have veto powers.
Despite these concerns, most European policymakers would agree that new approaches are necessary to reflect the deteriorating security environment. Genuine deterrence will no longer come from strategic restraint. Instead, Europe should adopt a more active defensive strategy, because Russia will continue to expand the current campaign of hostile actions until it finds the continent’s real red lines. At that point, miscalculation on either side becomes a major risk.
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Europe requires a bolder approach to Russian grey zone aggression that imposes costs on the Kremlin. When Moscow faces consequences for each new act, Russian calculations may begin to change.
One option would be to help close the strategic gap between NATO air defenses and Ukrainian airspace, which currently favors Russia. Waiting for Russian missiles and drones to cross into EU territory before reacting grants Moscow the tactical initiative. Rather than attempting to shield all of Ukraine at once, European countries could consider extending the existing European Sky Shield Initiative to cover parts of western Ukraine. This could be framed as a direct response to increasing Russian violations of NATO airspace.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz have both voiced their support for a bigger role in Ukrainian air defense. Sikorski has argued that it is better to shoot down Russian missiles and drones while they are still in Ukrainian airspace rather than waiting until they cross the Polish border. Meanwhile, Kosiniak-Kamysz commented recently that it was in Poland’s national interests to back Ukraine, “so that missiles can be intercepted there and do not reach Poland.”
Previous calls to extend air defense coverage inside Ukraine have run into opposition amid European concerns over possible escalation. The Kremlin has played on these fears, warning that any attempt to intercept Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine would risk direct conflict. However, Moscow has issued similar threats repeatedly throughout the full-scale invasion as part of efforts to deter support for Ukraine. By framing air defense support inside Ukraine as a response to Russia’s escalating hybrid warfare, Kyiv’s European partners could send a clear message to Moscow that missile and drone incursions carry very specific costs and will not be tolerated.
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European deterrence should also mean stricter enforcement of measures targeting Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers. This fleet serves as a crucial financial lifeline for Vladimir Putin’s war machine. European countries could become more assertive in terms of boarding vessels and detaining crews operating without the valid certification or insurance. They could also explore legal options to move from the temporary detention of vessels to outright seizure.
In addition to targeting the shadow fleet, further efforts should be made to maximize European financial leverage over Russia. Freezing more than two hundred billion dollars in Russian Central Bank assets was a necessary first step in 2022, but this alone has not deterred Kremlin aggression. The debate over frozen Russian assets has recently been revived, with a number of countries calling for new efforts to find a legal solution that would allow for the funds to be allocated to Ukraine.
All these measures carry real risks that cannot be ignored. Any move to seize rather than freeze Russian assets would be strongly opposed by Moscow and would have the potential to destabilize Europe’s wider financial system. Steps to expand airspace interception and maritime interdiction would bring a sharper risk of escalation. At the same time, inaction also brings inevitable risks and will further embolden Russia.
Europe needs a new counter-hybrid playbook, but an approach that focuses on coordinating responses after Russian attacks have already taken place is not an effective deterrent. A true counter-hybrid strategy should seek to identify Europe’s leverage over Russia and convert this into the kind of retaliatory consequences that the Kremlin actually fears. Until Russian hybrid attacks on Europe start producing direct strategic losses for Moscow, Putin will continue to escalate.
Maksym Beznosiuk is a strategic policy analyst whose work focuses on Russia, Ukraine, and international security. He is an associate fellow at GLOBSEC. William Dixon is a senior associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute and an associate fellow at GLOBSEC. He specializes in cyber and international security issues.
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