European Union leaders gathered in Copenhagen this week amid a climate of heightened security and growing anxiety over Russia’s recent actions in European airspace. The summit, held on October 1, 2025, was not just another diplomatic meeting—it was a direct response to a series of drone incursions that had forced the closure of several Danish airports only days earlier, sparking fears about the continent’s vulnerability to hybrid warfare.
Denmark, the host nation, took no chances. According to Reuters, all civilian drone flights were banned until Friday, and traffic in the capital was strictly controlled. The Danish military reported an “increased presence of foreign troops and equipment,” with ten allied nations—including Poland, the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, the US, and Germany—providing anti-drone and surveillance support. Even a German frigate docked in Copenhagen, a visible symbol of the seriousness with which Europe now regards its skies.
The trigger for these extraordinary measures was a series of unidentified drone flights over Denmark the previous week, which led to the temporary closure of six airports and disrupted both civilian and military operations. While Danish authorities stopped short of assigning blame, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen left little doubt about her suspicions. “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,” she told reporters, as quoted by BBC.
Frederiksen’s call for action was echoed by many of her European counterparts. The incursions have been especially acute for countries on the EU's eastern flank, such as Poland and Estonia, which have also experienced Russian drones and fighter jets violating their airspace. In early September, multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish territory, prompting Poland and its NATO allies, including Denmark, to scramble fighter jets. In response, Denmark has now asked for—and received—support from its European partners, including a contingent of 30 Polish soldiers from the “Viking” military unit. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the deployment as an act of solidarity, recalling Denmark’s assistance during Poland’s own airspace violations. “We welcome with satisfaction the Danish government's request to send soldiers to protect the European summit,” Tusk said, according to the Polish news agency PAP.
Across the continent, the sense of urgency is palpable. France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Britain, Finland, and Ukraine have all committed troops and anti-drone systems to help Denmark protect the summit. Sweden has even loaned powerful radar systems to its neighbor for the week, and Ukraine sent a mission for joint exercises, offering “Ukrainian experience in drone defence,” as President Volodymyr Zelensky put it.
With the threat so close to home, European leaders are now actively considering a bold new initiative: the construction of a “drone wall” across the continent. The idea, floated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after Russian drones entered Polish airspace last month, envisions a multi-layered network of sensors and weapons designed to detect, track, and neutralize intruding unmanned aircraft. “What I see overall ... is a pattern. And this pattern is coming from Russia,” von der Leyen said on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters. “Russia tries to test us. But Russia also tries to sow division and anxiety in our societies. We will not let this happen.”
The drone wall concept has found strong support among European leaders. Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, arriving at the summit, called it a necessary step: “Russia will continue and we have to be ready, we have to strengthen our preparedness.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised the idea as “timely and necessary,” noting the cost imbalance of shooting down cheap drones with expensive missiles. “We cannot spend millions of euros or dollars on missiles to take out drones which are only costing a couple of thousand dollars,” Rutte said, according to BBC.
Yet, not everyone is convinced the solution is straightforward. As Ole Kvaerno of the Danish Centre for Defence Robotics and Autonomy told the BBC, “the drone wall was a political, very generic concept at the moment,” and last week’s drone activity had been a wake-up call for both authorities and the public. “The nature of hybrid war is that it’s intended to take us by surprise. So we’re not done with operational shocks like this one.”
Beyond security, the Copenhagen summit also tackled the thorny issue of financing Ukraine’s ongoing defense against Russia. For the first time, EU leaders debated a proposal to use 140 billion euros of Russian assets frozen in Europe to fund a major loan to Ukraine. Under the European Commission’s plan, Kyiv would repay the loan if Russia eventually pays war reparations. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz voiced support for the idea, calling it “reasonable to assume the drones are coming from Russia” and emphasizing the need for increased European security. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, however, expressed caution, warning that such a move could prompt countries to withdraw reserves from the euro zone if central bank money can disappear.
The Kremlin, for its part, has fiercely denied responsibility for the drones over Denmark and dismissed the allegations as “unfounded.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the proposed drone wall, saying, “As history has shown, erecting walls is always a bad thing.” He also called the EU’s frozen assets proposal “pure theft.” Russia has also disputed that its fighter jets entered Estonian airspace and insisted it did not intend to send drones into Poland.
Despite these denials, European leaders are pressing ahead. The summit saw plans laid out for a “road map” to bolster continental defense capabilities by 2030, including joint procurement of military equipment and the possibility of raising up to 150 billion euros for defense investment. The EU’s 19th sanctions package against Russia, which aims to phase out Russian liquefied natural gas imports by early 2027, was also on the agenda.
Amid all this, the realities of politics remain. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of Russia’s closest allies in the EU, continued to oppose Ukraine’s sovereignty claims, adding another layer of complexity to the bloc’s efforts to present a united front.
As the summit wrapped up, the message from Copenhagen was clear: Europe is determined not to be caught off guard again. Whether through the construction of a drone wall, increased military cooperation, or the controversial use of frozen Russian assets, EU leaders are signaling a new era of vigilance—and perhaps, a turning point in the continent’s response to hybrid threats.
