EU member states Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are calling on the bloc to provide more support for military and civilian protection for their borders in light of their geographical proximity to Russia and Belarus.
In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, the four Eastern European countries, who either border Belarus, Russia or both, said "our countries can feel what it means to be the EU's frontline states," more than two years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Stressing their "unwavering support to Ukraine," the countries said "we need to spend more and coordinate on defence initiatives within the EU and with NATO, which remains the foundation of collective defence, combining our capabilities to protect, deter and defend our people and our territory."
"We are fierce supporters of Ukraine's military efforts and invest massively in our armed forces, defence production and protection of our borders with Russia and Belarus," they added.
"Still, much more needs to be done and in a more concerted way."
Among other things, they named "instrumentalization of migrants, sabotage, disinformation" as well as cyberattacks as specific threats coming from Russia and its ally Belarus, issues that ultimately affect all of the EU, they said in the letter signed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina.
Poland and the Baltic states have been some of Ukraine's most outspoken supporters following the Russian invasion.
Their plea comes ahead of an EU leaders summit scheduled for Thursday and Friday where they are set to agree on a package deal to divide up the European Union's top jobs following the recent European elections.
EU leaders are also set to debate the Israel-Hamas war, financing the defence industry, economic competitiveness, as well as adopt a strategic agenda for the next five years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected in Brussels to sign a security agreement with the EU and to brief EU leaders on the situation on the front line in Ukraine.