European Union countries are discussing a NATO-style collective response to counter Russian hybrid attacks.

What it means

European Union countries are debating whether to create a collective response mechanism, similar to NATO's Article 5, to counter Russian hybrid attacks—actions like sabotage, arson, and drone strikes that fall below the threshold of a full military attack. This would shift from individual national responses to a coordinated EU-wide framework, potentially invoking joint diplomatic, economic, or even defensive measures.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is based on a Financial Times report that cites unnamed EU officials and internal discussions, making it a reputable secondary source with named primary sources. The story is corroborated by multiple other outlets (Politico, Euronews, Channel News Asia), increasing its credibility, though the exact details of the proposed mechanism remain unconfirmed in an official document.

How new

This is genuinely new reporting from September 28, 2026; the underlying discussions are current and not a resurfacing of older material.

Go deeper