BRUSSELS The European Union on Monday stressed the urgent need to accelerate the rollout of a drone defense initiative following repeated incursions of helium balloons into Lithuanian airspace sent by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes from Belarus. In a post on the US social media company X’s platform, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the incidents as "destabilization" and a "hybrid threat," saying Europe would not tolerate such "provocations." "This is