EU leaders weigh 'drone wall' defense project following airspace violations by Russia

European Union leaders are weighing new defenses against Russian drones after a series of recent airspace violations forced Denmark to shut down airports and ban drone flights altogether.

At a summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday, officials debated creating a so-called “drone wall” — a network of sensors and weapons designed to spot and neutralize unmanned aircraft. The idea has been circulating for weeks, but leaders say the latest incidents made it urgent, per Reuters.

“It is the pattern we need to observe, and in my view that pattern is essentially a hybrid war against Europe,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters, hinting that Moscow was behind the intrusions.

Russia has denied responsibility. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the EU’s discussions as misguided, saying, “As history has shown, erecting walls is always a bad thing.” Moscow has also rejected claims that its drones entered Polish airspace or that its jets crossed into Estonia.

Still, many EU leaders point to a consistent threat. French President Emmanuel Macron argued that the drones flying over Denmark prove Europe needs “pre-alert systems” and closer cooperation. Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also backed the project, saying, “Russia will continue and we have to be ready, we have to strengthen our preparedness.”

The proposal has not yet been finalized. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Commission is still working out costs and logistics but warned that Russia is testing Europe’s defenses. “Russia tries to sow division and anxiety in our societies. We will not let this happen,” she said.

The summit also marked the first chance for EU leaders to discuss using frozen Russian assets in Europe to fund a major loan for Ukraine. Some leaders strongly supported the idea, while others remained cautious. The Kremlin denounced the plan as “pure theft.”

The recent drone incursions over Poland and Denmark have shown the vulnerabilities in the European air defenses. NATO forces scrambled jets, helicopters, and a Patriot missile system in response to the Polish incident, managing to shoot down several drones. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the EU’s drone wall proposal both “timely and necessary.”