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 several armies and NATO itself. Vladimir Putin's regime has continued to increase their incursions into airspace community and, in the days leading up to this European summit, especially in Denmark. A context that greatly determines the meeting of European leaders. The warlike tone has risen even further among leaders, and there is a broad consensus that we must wake up to stop and respond to Russian drones and all the 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 or the Prime Minister of Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council. "We need a very forceful response," stressed the Danish leader and host of the summit, Social Democrat Mette Frederiksen, who said that Europe is in the "most dangerous moment since the Second World War." The French President, while avoiding using the word "war," also warned of "hybrid threats in the field of confrontation" and issued a clear warning to Putin. "They are testing us. Anyone who violates our airspace can face retaliation. It is our right," said Emmanuel Macron.

Now, the big discussion at the summit is how the EU should respond and prepare for Russian air raids. Ursula von der Leyen's European Commission 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 must all be on the same page and rearm ourselves," Frederiksen insisted when asked about Spain and Italy's commitment. Subsequently, several leaders from countries geographically and culturally close to Russia, such as Finland and Estonia, echoed the sentiment.

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 left with the burden of continuing to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. However, some countries, such as France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, remain reluctant, citing doubts about Ukraine's compliance with international law.

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.