BERLIN 

EU countries will discuss new steps to increase their military support for Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday, ahead of an informal summit of European leaders.

“We want to try to take new steps, including with regard to the defense of this country. I am very pleased that the President (Zelenskyy) will be here tomorrow and that we will have the opportunity to talk in great detail about our continued support for Ukraine,” he told reporters upon his arrival at the summit venue in Copenhagen.

Last week, Merz proposed providing Ukraine with a €140 billion ($164 billion) loan backed by frozen Russian assets, aiming to strengthen Kyiv's military capabilities and potentially bring Moscow to negotiations.

The plan, outlined in a guest op-ed published by The Financial Times, would leverage Russian Central Bank assets currently frozen in Europe without technically confiscating them — addressing legal concerns while creating substantial financial support for Ukraine.

In his brief remarks to reporters ahead of the EU informal summit, Merz did not elaborate on the details of his proposal. However, he reiterated Germany's support for its European allies amid recent drone incursions and alleged airspace violations by Russia.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the German Air Force and the German Navy for their contribution to ensuring that this European Council can take place safely,” he said, referring to the deployment of German military aircraft and a frigate to ensure security during the European summits, which are taking place just days after drone incursions forced the closure of several Danish airports. On Thursday, Copenhagen will host the European Political Community (EPC) summit, which will bring together leaders from over 40 European countries.

Earlier this month, several other NATO allies—including Poland, Romania, and Estonia—also reported drone incursions and airspace violations. NATO officials said many of these incidents originated from Russia. Moscow has denied the Estonian airspace violation, described the Polish incident as accidental, and attributed the Romanian accusations to Ukrainian provocations.