European Leader Issues Stark Warning: Russia’s Hybrid War Is Already Here

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Europe is in the middle of a hybrid war waged by Russia and the continent must arm itself, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Wednesday as she hosted a summit of European Union leaders in Copenhagen.

“I hope that everybody recognizes now that there is a hybrid war and one day it’s Poland, the other day it’s Denmark, and next week it will probably be somewhere else that we see sabotage or we see drones flying,” Frederiksen told reporters.

Wednesday’s summit comes after a spate of troubling drone incidents at Danish airports and military bases over the last week. Ahead of the meeting, a special radar system was set up at Copenhagen airport to help keep watch. Unidentified drones forced the closure of the airfield a week ago, causing major disruptions.

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France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. also sent aircraft, ships and air defense systems to Denmark ahead of the talks. Ukraine’s armed forces have dispatched a mission to the Nordic country for joint exercises, sharing its expertise on combating Russian drones.

While the Danish authorities have not identified those believed to be responsible, Frederiksen said, “There is only one country that are willing to threaten us and it is Russia and therefore we need a very strong answer back.”

“I want us to rearm. I want us to buy more capabilities. I want us to innovate more, for example on drones,” she said. “When I look at Europe today, I think we are in the most difficult and dangerous situation since the end of the Second World War.”

Russia is the focus of Wednesday’s summit, where discussions are expected to center on how to prepare Europe to fend off Russian aggression by 2030, especially as the United States turns its focus on security concerns in Asia and elsewhere.

Leaders and intelligence services believe that Russia could mount an assault elsewhere in Europe in 3 to 5 years, and that President Vladimir Putin is intent on testing NATO as doubts swirl about U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to the organization.

On Sept. 10, when several Russian drones breached Poland’s airspace, NATO aircraft were scrambled to intercept and shoot down some of the devices. It was the first direct encounter between NATO and Moscow since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

The incident jolted leaders across Europe, raising questions about how prepared the alliance is against Russia. Days later, NATO jets escorted three Russian warplanes out of Estonia’s airspace.

The EU talks on Ukraine will focus on continued military and financial support for the conflict-ravaged country, as funds, weapons and ammunition once provided by the United States dry up.

A new proposal to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine will be discussed, as well as its prospects of joining the EU. Trump has ruled out NATO membership for the country, the best security guarantee available.

On Wednesday evening, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other leaders from across Europe will join their EU partners for an informal dinner of the European Political Community (EPC). Around 40 heads of state or government are due to take part.

They will gather formally on Thursday for talks focused on security, trafficking and migration. Critics say the EPC forum — which draws together EU members, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as Britain and Turkey — is a political “talking shop” that produces few tangible results.