Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure in Modern Conflict (dgap.org)

• Energy infrastructure is now a central, vulnerable node in asymmetric conflicts.
• Ukraine’s expertise in anti-drone technology is a vital strategic asset for Europe.
• Europe faces an urgent need for an 'Operation Plan Civil Defense' to manage dependencies.

"The targeting of energy facilities in the Middle East highlights a shift in warfare where critical infrastructure has become a primary target. Cheap, mass-deployed drones are effectively saturating sophisticated air defenses, posing a systemic threat to global energy stability. The authors argue that Europe must move infrastructure resilience to the core of its defense agenda. Recommendations include establishing a Gulf-Ukraine-Europe knowledge-sharing platform for drone defense and accelerating the domestic implementation of the NIS2 and CER directives to mitigate risks associated with structural energy dependencies."