European Union leaders are meeting in Copenhagen on Wednesday to discuss new defence measures, including a proposed “drone wall” to shield the continent, just days after unidentified unmanned aircraft disrupted air traffic at six Danish airports.
The summit comes amid heightened concerns over airspace security following a series of drone intrusions over Poland and alleged Russian fighter jet violations of Estonian skies.
France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Britain, Finland, and Ukraine have deployed troops and anti-drone systems to Denmark to protect the meeting.
While Denmark has stopped short of directly blaming Moscow, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen suggested Russia could be behind last week’s incursions. Russia has denied responsibility, insisting it did not send drones into Poland or jets into Estonian airspace.
European leaders are expected to review four flagship defence projects, including the “drone wall”, a proposed network of sensors and weapons designed to detect, track, and neutralise hostile drones.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen floated the idea last month, shortly after some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday called the concept “timely and necessary,” though questions remain over costs and implementation.
“We cannot spend millions of euros or dollars on missiles to take out drones, which only cost a couple of thousand dollars,” Rutte said.
Alongside defence, leaders will debate how to sustain Ukraine’s war effort as U.S. support wanes. The European Commission has proposed using frozen Russian assets in Europe to back a €140 billion ($164 billion) “Reparation Loan” for Kyiv.
Ukraine would be expected to repay the loan if Russia pays war reparations in the future.
Von der Leyen urged swift action, saying: “We are at a moment where decisive action on our side can lead to a turning point in this conflict.”
The plan has drawn cautious backing from some capitals, including Berlin, though Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, whose country hosts most of the frozen funds in the Euroclear depository, warned that tapping central bank reserves could undermine global confidence in the euro.
EU leaders will also weigh a proposed 19th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes phasing out Russian liquefied natural gas imports by 2027, part of efforts to tighten economic pressure on Moscow as the war grinds on.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
