EPC Summit: Europe united in viewing Russia as threat to all countries on continent

A discussion of European leaders on the war in Ukraine and threats posed by Russia took place in Copenhagen.

According to Report"s European bureau, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the event as a new format at the EPC Summit, attended by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Maia Sandu of Moldova.

Prime Minister Starmer said that Russian aggression is not only a matter of Ukrainian sovereignty but also a defense of Europe"s shared values. He emphasized that support for Kyiv must remain a priority: "We need new air defense systems, more resources to combat drones, and continued pressure on Putin through sanctions, including measures against the so-called shadow fleet."

President Macron noted that Russia has already suffered strategic setbacks, failing to change Kyiv"s leadership and allowing NATO to expand. However, he stressed that this is not enough: "Europe must scale up military assistance to Ukraine, including supplying drones and long-range missiles." He highlighted the fight against the "shadow fleet," which, according to him, "finances up to 40 percent of Russia"s military expenditures."

Polish Prime Minister Tusk emphasized that the war against Europe is already underway, from provocations on the Polish-Belarusian border to incidents in the Baltic Sea. "This is not someone else"s war. If Ukraine loses, we lose too," he said, calling on allies for greater resolve.

Moldovan President Sandu said that Moscow spent hundreds of millions of euros funding political parties, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns during recent elections. "But Moldova withstood the blow. We have proven that even a small democracy can resist Russian pressure," she said, highlighting the importance of international support and solidarity.