EU security talks continue, but results still lag 

COPENAGHEN – Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed her fellow EU leaders to Christiansborg Palace on Wednesday for an informal summit heavy with security and defence talk. 

The agenda ranged from Ukraine’s bid to join the EU to a possible “drone wall” in response to recent airspace violations. Yet after hours of discussion, leaders left with more frustration than breakthroughs, deferring real decisions to the European Council’s next meeting in three weeks, when Costa promises it will be time for ‘real decisions’. 

Defence dominates, consensus wavers 

Defence talks stretched to four hours – twice what had been planned – as leaders wrestled with Europe’s readiness and how to respond to growing security threats. Two flagship ideas surfaced: an “Eastern Flank Watch” and a layered anti-drone shield. 

Council President António Costa hailed the talks as “a key step on our path to achieving common defence readiness by 2030,” but warned that Europe’s borders would only be secure with a “360-degree approach.”

Echoing deep regional concerns, Italy and Greece pressed hard to ensure Europe does not neglect its southern border. According to Euractiv, the demand comes amid discussions over how to bring southern European industries more directly into defence projects.

The Commission’s proposal of a “drone wall” – a layered network of detection and interception systems – was met with raised eyebrows rather than raised hands. 

Eastern states, facing Russian pressure, urged more action and less paperwork. France, Germany and Italy pushed back, citing financial and political risks. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni cautioned that Europe must “think calmly” before risking measures that could be seen as provocations. 

The one tangible outcome was an agreement to elevate defence ministers, who will now meet more frequently alongside EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas. 

Ukraine talk without traction  

Ukraine’s future again divided the room. Costa suggested bypassing unanimity to open accession talks with a qualified majority. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán rejected the idea outright, joined quietly by France, the Netherlands and others reluctant to move too fast.

There was no agreement on reparations either. Leaders were not convinced by von der Leyen’s proposal to use the €200 billion of frozen Russian central bank assets to back loans for Kyiv. Belgium, Luxembourg and Croatia feared legal and political risks, despite Germany’s backing and von der Leyen’s assurances of a strong legal basis. 

By nightfall, the meeting left an amaro in bocca – as Italians say – no formal decisions and plenty of frustration.