EU leaders weigh defense, Ukraine aid at Copenhagen summit

EU leaders met in Copenhagen on Wednesday under tight security to discuss defense in the wake of recent Russian airspace incursions.

A central topic was a proposed “drone wall” along the EU’s eastern border. Leaders also debated a European Commission plan to channel frozen Russian assets into a zero-interest “reparations loan” for Ukraine, giving Kyiv funds to purchase weapons.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said the bloc must proceed carefully:

“We are seeking the safest and best way to utilize the nearly 170 billion euros held by Euroclear in Belgium as a kind of reparations loan for the damage Russia has caused and to finance support for Ukraine. We back the idea in principle, but we want to ensure legal certainty for all such decisions.”

French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted Russia’s wider hybrid tactics:

“Russia has been a very aggressive actor in Europe’s information space for years. This is evident during elections in various countries. Russia is stepping up cyber attacks, invading Ukraine, making nuclear threats, and even violating our airspace. All of these are part of a hybrid conflict.”