In early October 2025, many unusual figures were seen in the streets of Copenhagen.

Not the tourists, but the police with bullets, the airborne military fleet, and anti-drone systems in the sky. It¡¯s not a war, it¡¯s a meeting ¨C EU27 leaders gathered in Denmark and have only one question at the heart of the discussion: What will Europe do in the face of Russia?

It was said that it was an "informal summit", but from the security front on the scene, the level of tension has been close to the state of warfare. On the one hand, the leaders closed the doors to discuss the route map, on the other hand, the airspace of many European countries was invaded by unknown drones, Poland, Denmark, Sweden followed by alarms, airports closed, flights changed, and people's lives were also affected.

This "attack" by the invisible enemy has sounded alarm in the hearts of European nations.Many people say that this is not war in the traditional sense, but it is not the era of peace.

Avoid the aircraft, avoid the unrest in your heart.

At the meeting, European leaders expressed their desire to strengthen defense cooperation. The EU announced that it would build a stronger defense line in the direction of Eastern Europe, focusing on anti-drone and air interception systems. Poland and the Baltic States are considered the "frontline", where resources are preferred.

There is also a plan to transform European roads and railways into military canals to facilitate the rapid deployment of troops.

In addition to rebuilding the roads, Europe is also trying to change the rules.France stopped a Russian-flagged tanker in the open sea earlier this month, saying it was suspected of being involved in a ¡°non-traditional attack¡± on the West.

This incident pushed the already tense situation one step further. Everyone used to say it was economic sanctions, but now the navy has begun to be used. Although there is no head-on exchange of fire, this kind of move has already made people feel the "shadow of war".

Here in Denmark, Ukraine soldiers are teaching Danish soldiers how to deal with drone attacks. Britain and Finland also sent people to help. These collaborations, which were rare before, have now become the norm.

On the surface, European countries are still going their own way, but they are beginning to try to unite in air defense.

A table with people who are not united

Eastern European countries are closer to Russia and feel the threat most directly, they advocate to be militarily tougher and even hope that NATO will deploy its forces more reliably.

But in Western and Southern Europe, some countries calculate more about economic accounts. They are worried that military spending is too large, which will affect people's livelihood expenditures; they are also afraid that energy prices will soar again, putting a burden on families and businesses.

France's voice was more prominent, President Macron said at the meeting that no "reciprocal response" can be ruled out. it sounds like Europe wants to support the situation itself, but what to do, in fact, not many countries are willing to really follow.

On the German side, although its position is firm, the domestic industry has always been worried that long-term confrontation will hurt itself, especially industries such as energy and automobiles that have high demand for stable supply chains.

There are also some countries that have reservations about "using Russian assets without trial." They worry that once this practice becomes routine, everyone may be "frozen" in the future. Some countries have proposed that they must go through legal procedures or they will not support it.

Internal distrust is also rising. Hungary has recently been exposed to possible activities on the Ukrainian border, causing disappointment on the Ukrainian side. While Hungary denies it, the phenomenon of ¡°alignment between allies¡± is becoming increasingly common. This crack may still be concealed during peacetime, but at a critical moment it is difficult to conceal.

Europe wants to rely on itself, but is it reliable?

Behind the meeting, there was a question that nobody said but was concerned about: what if the United States no longer fully supported, Europe? especially after Trump took office, the US aid to Ukraine was delayed, the number and scale of military aid were adjusted, which made Europe have to consider the possibility of "bearing it on its own."

The EU is already discussing higher-level arms-building plans, such as using hundreds of billions of euros to build its own defense system.

It sounds like a European version of the ¡°nuclear umbrella,¡± but it¡¯s not a certain thing, it involves a series of complex issues such as technology, politics, and trust.

At present, Europe still relies on the United States in terms of satellites, intelligence, and long-range firepower. Achieving true independent defense is not just something that can be achieved with money, but also requires accumulation of time, talents, and technology. The reality is that the fighting on the front line in Ukraine has not slowed down, and time has become the most scarce resource.

Even in terms of arms purchases, many countries have long formed inertia dependence on the United States.From training systems to logistical maintenance, all came according to "American standards".

To switch to "Europe's own make and use it yourself" is not only costly, but also requires rebuilding the entire system. In this process, countries have different interests and coordination is extremely difficult.

External pressure approaches, internal rhythm can't keep up

Although everyone at the conference said to unite, to act, but from the implementation of the countries, many plans are still in the paper.Although the money was approved, when it arrived at the local level, it involved environmental approval, land coordination, local government cooperation and other issues, and the progress was delayed again and again.

The reaction of the general public is also true. Denmark has recently raided emergency supplies, and many households have begun to reserve water, medicines and dry food. With the rumors of war on the net, the government has clarified many times, but people¡¯s anxiety has not stopped. The security of decades of peaceful life in Europe has suddenly been broken.

This summit also exposed the fact that although Europe is aware of the seriousness of the problem, its actions are still constrained by its own structure and rhythm.Every country has different concerns, and it doesn't mean that "everyone goes together" can move immediately. What's more, there are practical constraints such as elections, budgets and public opinion behind it.

Is it hard or a step back?

The issue of Russia is not just the battle on the Ukrainian border, but how Europe as a whole can cope with a new security challenge.The current situation is not a full outbreak of war, but is well beyond the scope of peace.

Europe is being forced to make a decision: should we continue to intensify the confrontation? should we completely get rid of our dependence on Russia? should we start to truly build our own defense system?

None of these questions have standard answers. Every step comes with a price, and stopping is not the way to go. The position where Europe is now is just a strategic crossroads. Which direction to go determines not only the future of Ukraine, but also the security pattern of Europe as a whole for decades.

This meeting in Copenhagen may not change anything immediately, but it makes one thing clear: Europe can no longer rely on previous experience to cope with the current situation.The real challenge is not what Russia has done, but whether Europe can find its own pace in change.

The road ahead is not easy, but the decision-making power is in Europe's own hands.

Source of information:

The official website of the European Council at the European Union¡¯s informal summit in Copenhagen (early October 2025) ¨C 27 leaders attended to discuss European defence, security threats, the situation in Ukraine and new initiatives to respond to Russia.