Ukraine hints at increased U.S. support at EU leader gathering

The Ukrainian president has hinted that Ukraine may receive United States intelligence on long-range energy targets in Russia.

"We will, maybe, have something more", said Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, speaking at a meeting of the European Political Community in Denmark.

The U.S. is believed to be weighing up whether to send Kyiv missiles that could be used in such long-range strikes inside Russia.

The Ukrainian leader went on to say that Russia was "stepping up its destructive actions", and said that Ukraine was ready to be "the driving force" behind the EU's proposed 'drone wall' to track and intercept unauthorized drones violating airspace.

European leaders suspect Moscow of being behind recent drone incursions, but Russia says the accusations are "baseless".

The wider gathering on Thursday in Copenhagen came after a meeting of the European Union leaders on Wednesday.

Hungary digs in against Ukraine's EU accession

At Thursday's event, the Hungarian prime minister accused the EU of preparing "war plans", and he reiterated his stance that Hungary opposed future EU membership for Kyiv.

Viktor Orban told his fellow leaders that Brussels should forge a "strategic partnership" with Kyiv instead of pursuing a path toward Ukraine becoming a full EU member.

Speaking in the closing news conference, the host, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, addressed Ukraine's membership aspirations and Hungary's resistance.

"If we are not able to convince Orbán, then I simply think we just have to move on with all the work that has to be done between Ukraine and the European Commission," she said.

Other themes that were addressed at the summit of more than 40 leaders included how to use frozen Russian assets to help Kyiv financially, plus security, migration, and drug-trafficking.

The British prime minister Keir Starmer attended the summit for a short time before rushing back to London following a deadly stabbing attack at a synagogue in Manchester.

Lego sunflowers for leaders

Denmark chose sunflowers to be the symbol for the EPC summit, as the plant is the Ukrainian national flower.

Leaders who attended the gathering were also given a Lego sunflower as a gift by their hosts. Lego is one of the most recognisable Danish companies.

It was the seventh summit for the European Political Community, a group of almost every nation in Europe that was the brainchild of French president Emmanuel Macron and which was founded in 2022.

Alongside the EU member states, and big non-EU countries like the United Kingdom and Türkiye, the EPC also comprises representatives from some of Europe's smallest countries, including Monaco and San Marino.