European Union leaders met for an informal summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday to discuss defence initiatives, including the development of an EU-wide “drone wall” and continued support for Ukraine, officials said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the Commission received the go-ahead to advance the drone wall project and a broader rearmament roadmap. The anti-drone system is designed to “quickly detect, intercept and, if necessary, neutralise drones,” strengthening EU airspace security.

European Council President Antonio Costa emphasized ongoing discussions on Ukraine support, which will continue at the upcoming European Council meeting in October. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described EU funding for Kiev as an investment in the bloc’s security.

The informal summit format meant no binding decisions were made, but EU institutions and member states indicated that work would continue on defence initiatives and Ukraine support ahead of the formal EPC summit on Thursday.

The meeting came amid reports of suspected drone activity disrupting flights at European airports, prompting heightened security measures.

On the same day, Ukraine received 4 billion euros (approximately 4.7 billion USD) in EU loans sourced from frozen Russian assets, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance. The funds, part of the Group of Seven’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration initiative, will support social programs, defence needs, and recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin issued a warning to European leaders, asserting that any seizure of Russian assets would be considered illegal and could backfire on European depositories and investments. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described such plans as “simply theft.”

The Copenhagen discussions signal the EU’s continued focus on strategic defence capabilities and financial backing for Ukraine amid ongoing tensions with Russia.