AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Estonian PM Kristen Michal believes Russia’s airspace violations are a distraction tactic to divert Europe’s attention from supporting Ukraine. EU leaders are meeting to discuss bolstering defenses and aid for Kyiv, particularly focusing on a “drone wall” to counter Russian drone incursions. The summit follows airspace violations by Russia in Estonia and Poland and mysterious drone flights in Denmark. Leaders will also debate using frozen Russian assets to fund a €140 billion loan for Ukraine, aiming to bolster Kyiv’s war effort amid dwindling US aid. Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that decisive action could mark a turning point in the conflict.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
Estonia’s prime minister, Kristen Michal, has warned that Russia’s recent air incursions were an attempt to distract Europe from helping Ukraine, ahead of a summit with EU leaders. “Putin wants to have us talking about ourselves, not about Ukraine, not about helping Ukraine, not to push back Russia in Ukraine,” Michal told AFP in an interview in Copenhagen.
EU leaders will discuss boosting their defences and support for Kyiv at talks in Denmark being held on Wednesday and Thursday under heightened security after mysterious drone flights rattled the country. Those incidents came after a series of high-profile airspace violations by Moscow in Russia’s neighbour Estonia and in Poland had already frayed nerves in Europe.
One of the key priorities being pushed at the summit is a so-called “drone wall” of defences to protect the European continent by detecting and shooting down Russian drones. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen floated the idea last month, just hours after some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, although officials say it had been in the works before then. The EU has not yet produced a detailed plan, leaving open questions about the cost and practicalities. But Nato secretary general Mark Rutte praised the idea on Tuesday as “timely and necessary”.
The summit will also be the first opportunity for leaders of the EU’s 27 countries to debate a proposal to use Russian assets frozen in Europe to fund a loan of 140bn euros to Ukraine. The European Commission last week proposed the “reparation loan” that would bolster Kyiv’s war effort just as US-funded military aid dwindles. “We are at a moment where decisive action on our side can lead to a turning point in this conflict,” von der Leyen said on Tuesday.
