San Francisco Frontiers - EU leaders plot defence boost in shadow of Denmark drones

Thousands of police are on high alert, civilian drones have been banned and NATO allies have sent reinforcements as the continent converges on Copenhagen for the long-planned talks, followed by a broader gathering of European leaders Thursday.

Denmark -- which holds the EU's rotating presidency -- has been rattled in recent days as unidentified drones shut down airports and flew near military sites.

Nordic neighbours as well as allies from the United States to Ukraine have dispatched anti-drone technology and specialists to bolster Denmark's capabilities ahead of the summit talks.

Suspicions have pointed at Russia for what Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called a "hybrid attack" -- but so far no culprit has been definitively named.

Nonetheless the drone incidents have sharpened the focus on the chinks in Europe's defences after high-profile air incursions by Moscow in Poland and Estonia.

EU leaders meeting in the Danish capital are looking to flesh out details for priority projects, including a "drone wall" aimed at countering Russia's threat.

Defence ministers from some 10 countries mostly along the EU's eastern flank last week kicked off talks on the plan to build a system of defences to detect, and ultimately take down, drones.

The EU is looking to tap the war-tested expertise of Ukraine, whose President Volodymyr Zelensky will join for Thursday's gathering of the European Political Community.

"Europe must deliver a strong and united response to Russia's drone incursions at our borders," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday.

Wednesday's discussion is the latest step in the EU's efforts to get ready for a potential conflict with Russia by 2030 -- as warnings swirl Moscow could look to attack in the coming years.

Leaders will seek to lay out a roadmap for addressing Europe's most pressing defence needs as confidence wavers in US backing under President Donald Trump.

The 27-nation bloc has already come up with a 150-billion-euro loan scheme to help fund defence spending, with the lion's share being snapped up by eastern countries.

Brussels has proposed countries now club together on four "flagship" projects -- the drone wall, securing the eastern flank, missile defences and a space "shield".

- Tapping Russian frozen assets? -

But while the EU looks to prepare for a possible future war, a crucial pressing issue is how to help finance Ukraine as it tackles Moscow's ongoing invasion.

"Putin wants to have us talking about ourselves, not about Ukraine, not about helping Ukraine, not to push back Russia in Ukraine," Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told AFP in an interview on the eve of the summit.

Leaders will pick over a proposal from Brussels to use frozen Russian central bank assets to fund a new 140-billion-euro loan for Kyiv.

That push could face resistance from Belgium, where most of the assets are held, but it is seen as crucial to help Kyiv plug looming budget shortfalls.

As US support for Ukraine has dried up under Trump, the plan last week won the backing of key powerbroker, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Officials say they hope to get a green light from leaders to continue work on the plan.

"The positions are not necessarily black and white, no and yes, some may say that they could ponder going down that road if certain conditions are met," a senior EU official said.

Beyond the push to keep Ukraine going financially, officials are also trying to keep Kyiv's bid to join the EU on track despite a block from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban.

Russia-friendly Orban has been flexing his veto to stop negotiations with Ukraine from progressing.

European Council chief Antonio Costa, who chairs the summit, has been canvassing support for a plan that would mean countries cannot veto each new step of talks.

"No leader to this day has replied with a total 'no', in a totally negative way to this idea," the EU official said.

But it appears it would be a stretch -- and need the consent of Orban and all the other leaders.

G.Allen--SFF