Denmark warns that Russia is waging a hybrid war on Europe, as EU leaders hold security talks

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Europe is in the middle of a hybrid war waged by Russia and the continent must arm itself, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Wednesday as she hosted a summit of European Union leaders in Copenhagen.

“I hope that everybody recognizes now that there is a hybrid war and one day it’s Poland, the other day it’s Denmark, and next week it will probably be somewhere else that we see sabotage or we see drones flying,” Frederiksen told reporters.

The summit comes after a spate of troubling drone incidents at Danish airports and military bases over the last week. Ahead of the meeting, a special radar system was set up at Copenhagen airport to help keep watch. Unidentified drones forced the closure of the airfield a week ago, causing major disruptions.

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. also sent aircraft, ships and air defense systems to Denmark ahead of the talks. Ukraine’s armed forces have dispatched a mission to the Nordic country for joint exercises, sharing its expertise on combating Russian drones.

While the Danish authorities have not identified those believed to be responsible, Frederiksen said, “There is only one country that is willing to threaten us and it is Russia and therefore we need a very strong answer back."

“I want us to rearm. I want us to buy more capabilities. I want us to innovate more, for example on drones," she said. "When I look at Europe today, I think we are in the most difficult and dangerous situation since the end of the Second World War.”

Russia was the focus of Wednesday’s summit, where discussions centered on how to prepare Europe to fend off Russian aggression by 2030, especially as the United States turns its focus on security concerns in Asia and elsewhere.

Ukraine was also high on the agenda, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the EU leaders by videolink.

Leaders and intelligence services believe that Russia could mount an assault elsewhere in Europe in 3 to 5 years, and that President Vladimir Putin is intent on testing NATO as doubts swirl about U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to the organization.

On Sept. 10, when several Russian drones breached Poland’s airspace, NATO aircraft were scrambled to intercept and shoot down some of the devices. It was the first direct encounter between NATO and Moscow since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

The incident jolted leaders across Europe, raising questions about how prepared the alliance is against Russia. Days later, NATO jets escorted three Russian warplanes out of Estonia’s airspace.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that an oil tanker off the French coast had committed “very serious wrongdoings” and linked it to Russia’s shadow fleet, which is avoiding Western sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

The tanker was sailing off the coast of Denmark last week and was cited by European naval experts as possibly being involved in drone flights over the Nordic country.

After Wednesday's meeting began, officials in Germany said that authorities there are also investigating claims that unidentified drones may have spied on a power plant, a hospital and a shipyard in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein last week.

Turning to Ukraine, the EU leaders discussed ways to maintain military and financial support as the conflict-ravaged country's funds, weapons and ammunition slowly dry up.

A new proposal to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine was considered, as well as its prospects of joining the EU. Trump has ruled out NATO membership for the country, the best security guarantee available.

Asked whether he would respect Trump’s demand that NATO stop buying Russian oil, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said: “We don’t have any options.”

“We need a primary pipeline, and the only primary pipeline is Russia. Because Hungary is a land-locked country. We don’t have any sea,” Orbán said, adding that in any case “the American president respects the sovereignty of other countries.”

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other leaders from across Europe will join their EU partners for talks on Thursday in the European Political Community (EPC) forum. Around 40 heads of state or government are due to take part.

Those talks will focus on security, trafficking and migration. Critics say the EPC forum — which draws together EU members, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as Britain and Turkey — is a political "talking shop" that produces few tangible results.

Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, left, and Croatia's Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovicthe shake hands at the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen as Denmark is hosting an informal summit for the EUs heads of state and government, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 . (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Security watch over the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen as Denmark is hosting an informal summit for the EUs heads of state and government, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 . (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Security on a dinghy boat around the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen as Denmark is hosting an informal summit for the EUs heads of state and government, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 . (Steven Knap/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Sweden's Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, left, Finland's Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, second from right, and Malta's Prime Minister, Robert Abela at the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen as Denmark is hosting an informal summit for the EUs heads of state and government, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 . (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, left, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen leave the Prime Minister's office in the Danish Parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks to journalists as she arrives for an informal summit in the Danish parliament at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

A sign near Aalborg Airport in Denmark, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, after drones were observed on the airport on Wednesday evening and the night to Thursday, and the airspace over the airport was closed. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

A mobile radar installation is seen at the Danish military site on Amager, Pionegaarden, near the village of Dragoer and on the coast of Oresund, the sea between Denmark and Sweden, on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (Steven Knap/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

A view of a drone flying prohibited sign at Halsskov, West Zealand, Denmark, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama returned to the court after limping off with a right leg injury in the opening minutes of the San Antonio Spurs' game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.

Wembanyama returned to the bench at the close of the first quarter and was on the court to start the second quarter.

Wembanyama dropped to the court after making knee-to-knee contact with the left leg of Milwaukee center Giannis Antetokounmpo under the Bucks basket with 9:18 remaining in the first quarter. Antetokounmpo was driving to the rim when the two made contact.

Wembanyama remained on the court for a few seconds before rising and hobbling unassisted in a half sprint toward the locker room.

Wembanyama suffered a hyperextended knee on Dec. 31 in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in a similar play. He returned to the bench but missed the next two games.

San Antonio enters Thursday's game on a two-game skid, including a 119-98 loss at Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reveals a freshly shaved head as he warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in San Antonio, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)