European positions on Russia harden as drone incidents, cyber-attacks and sabotage mount


By LORNE COOK

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Europe must take a more aggressive approach with Russia by shooting down drones that enter European airspace and boarding shadow fleet ships illicitly transporting oil to deprive Moscow of war revenue, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

After the meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that “Putin should not underestimate our determination. There is truly a very strong unity and there is a very firm resolve to confront this aggression together and for that I am extremely grateful.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged the leaders to abandon any “illusions” they might have about Russia’s intentions. He said that Poland has been a constant victim of Russian intimidation, most notably a major drone intrusion last month.

Poland has since vowed to shoot down Russian drones that enter its airspace.

“The first illusion was, and is, that there’s no war,” Tusk said, referring to those who talk about the war in Ukraine as a “full-scale aggression” or use other euphemisms. “No. It’s war. A new type of war. Very complex, but it’s war.”

Another illusion, Tusk said, is “that it is impossible for Ukraine and for all of us to win this war. It’s absurd. The only Russian advantage, the only one, is mentality. We are much bigger than them,” in terms of economic might and population, he said.

Tusk, whose country borders Belarus and Ukraine, added: “We know that if they win against Ukraine, it is also in the future the end of my country and of Europe. I have no doubts.”

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that it was important to ramp up economic pressure on Putin.

“The economic pressure is having an effect, and we need to continue that. Pressure through further sanctions, bearing down on energy in particular, and on the shadow fleet,” Starmer said before leaving the summit early to return to the U.K. after an attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, England.

It’s also vital to put “Ukraine in the strongest possible position, and that then means more on air defenses, more on long-range (missiles) and anti-drone” capabilities that must be sent to the country, which is now in its fourth year of war, Starmer said.

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