Leaders from the European Union and other regional allies such as the United Kingdom and Ukraine have been meeting in Copenhagen since Wednesday 1 October to discuss defence against the ‘hybrid warfare’ (drone intrusions, disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage, destabilisation operations, etc.) waged by Russia against Europe. Denmark has been overflown by drones in recent days and has closed several airports, including Copenhagen. In recent weeks, Poland, Estonia and Romania have also spotted and sometimes shot down Russian drones over their territory. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Ursula Von der Leyen are calling for a strong response to these incursions, for which the Kremlin denies any responsibility, and the 27 are even discussing the establishment of an anti-drone wall.

Whether this is a real escalation, as Zelensky warns, a diversionary tactic from the Ukrainian front, as other European leaders claim, or a test of NATO’s response capabilities, the EU must find ways to defend itself against a new and unconventional form of warfare.

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