The EU prepares for Putin's "hybrid drone warfare"

BrusselsThe 27 heads of state and government of the European Union met this Wednesday in Copenhagen under heavy protection, with the collaboration of various armies and NATO itself. Violations of European airspace by Vladimir Putin's regime have continued to increase in the days leading up to the European summit, especially in Denmark. This context has greatly influenced the meeting of European leaders. The warlike tone has escalated even further among the leaders, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has announced that there is a consensus among European leaders that they must act quickly to stop and respond to Russian drones and all hybrid attacks launched by Moscow against the EU.

Some leaders have directly described the situation as a "hybrid war," such as the Finnish Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council. "We need a very strong response," stressed Danish leader and summit host, Social Democrat Mette Frederiksen, who said that Europe is in the "most dangerous moment since the Second World War." The French president, while avoiding the word "war," also warned of "hybrid threats in the field of confrontation" and issued a clear warning to Putin. "They are testing us. Whoever violates our airspace can face retaliation. It is our right," said Emmanuel Macron.

The vocabulary used to define the conflict with Russia is escalating. However, the big discussion at the summit is how the EU should respond and how it should prepare for Russian air raids. The European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, has put forward the creation of a wall of drones is on the table, in which most of the eastern flank member states are participating. The only ones left out are the most pro-Russian countries, Slovakia and Hungary. This is a pioneering initiative promoted and coordinated by Brussels, in which several state armies are participating.

But the fine print of this initiative has yet to be written and has revived a long-standing debate within the EU about the blog's great rearmament. As usual, the countries of the east and north of the continent, which most immediately feel the Russian threat, are pressuring those of the southern EU to become more involved in security matters and allocate more resources. Once again, the clearest was the Danish leader, who denied that the invasion of Ukraine and the "hybrid war" only affect, for example, Poland or Denmark, and said that it affects the EU as a whole. "We all need to be on the same page and rearm ourselves," Frederiksen insisted when asked about Spain and Italy's commitment. Several leaders from countries geographically and culturally close to Russia echoed this sentiment, including Finland and Estonia, who do not want the drone wall to remain solely on the eastern flank.

The Spanish president, who is the EU's most vocal critic of the forced increase in military spending, did not address the criticisms of his counterparts on Wednesday, but the Italian prime minister took up the challenge and spoke in similar terms to Sánchez on previous occasions. Giorgia Meloni called on leaders to adopt a more bellicose tone against Putin. "We must remain calm and not respond to provocations," said the Italian leader.

Furthermore, the Italian Prime Minister recalled that the borders of NATO and the EU extend far beyond the eastern flank and stressed that resources must also be allocated to the continent's southern borders. This is a way of saying, as Sánchez has also claimed on more than one occasion, that the southern states of the European club already spend money on security on the southern flank, where they claim they must bear large costs in immigration control.

More pressure on Russia

Donald Trump's new turn in favor of Ukraine and against Putin has paved the way for the EU to increase pressure on the Kremlin againIn recent days, Brussels has put on the table the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes a ban on the purchase of Russian liquefied natural gas and the use of frozen Russian funds to rearm Ukraine, primarily through purchases from the European military industry. The two European Commission proposals are being discussed this Wednesday, and states have made their positions more clear.

Pressure from Brussels on states to approve the allocation of Russian funds is increasing. European Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas has asserted that if these €180 billion in Russian assets are not used, European taxpayers will be the ones who will have to bear the cost of continuing to assist Ukraine in its defense against Russia. However, Belgium remains reticent because these Russian assets are managed by Russian investment funds, and it fears that the use of this money violates international law. Von der Leyen promised in a press conference that responsibility would be shared and not solely held responsible for Belgium.

Regarding sanctions, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has once again flatly refused to increase them, especially if they involve a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas. It should be remembered that Hungary is one of the member states most dependent on Russian fossil fuels, and the Hungarian government is the most pro-Russian on the continent.

In fact, Hungary is also putting obstacles in the way of Ukraine's accession, and EU sources claim that the President of the European Council, António Costa, plans to propose that unanimity among member states not be necessary to allow Kiev to move forward with all the procedures for EU entry. This would prevent Orbán from vetoing Ukraine's entry into the European bloc, but the Hungarian leader has made it clear that he will block this change in the regulations, which would also need to be approved unanimously. "Not at all, not at all," Orbán made clear.