EU leaders are meeting in Copenhagen under pressure to boost European defence after a series of Russian incursions into EU airspace, and days after drones targeted Danish airports.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters that from a European perspective there is only one country... willing to threaten us and that is Russia, and therefore we need a very strong answer back.
The incursions have become most acute for countries on the EU's eastern flank such as Poland and Estonia. A number of member states have already backed plans for a multi-layered drone wall to quickly detect, then track and destroy Russian drones.
Denmark has beefed up security for the summit, banning all civilian drone flights until Friday and placing heavy restrictions on traffic in Copenhagen. Denmark is also hosting a broader European Political Community summit on Thursday and international allies have lent support to ensure both events pass without incident.
Copenhagen airport, followed by several Danish airports and military sites on the Jutland peninsula, faced drone disruption last week. Ten allies are providing anti-drone and surveillance support, according to Denmark's military.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz highlighted the growing severity of airspace incursions, asserting that it was reasonable to assume the drones are coming from Russia. The summit will look at a defense roadmap to prepare for future threats.
Frederiksen expressed concerns over the ongoing war in Ukraine, stating, We are in the most difficult and dangerous situation since the end of the Second World War - not the Cold War anymore.
As Denmark and EU leaders prepare to discuss further European defense collaborations, the focus remains on building strategies to address hybrid warfare and enhance air security across the region.
