Sarkozy says he will ‘sleep in prison, but with head held high’ following guilty verdict in Libya trial – as it happened

Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen denied earlier claims by his Latvia’s counterpart that Denmark was in a position to attribute the drone sightings to a foreign state actor (16:59).

“I cannot confirm that. I do not know where my Latvian colleagues got that information from,” he told DR.

“We are not able to attribute anyone to what we have seen in Denmark in recent days. You can have your feelings, and we can also see how it is already being used in Russian communication, but we are not able to attribute it,” he said.

Denmark has informed its allies that drone incursions that have closed airports in the country are linked to state actors, Latvia’s foreign minister Baiba Braže told Reuters.

“The Danish government said it’s a state activity that operates it,” Braze said in an interview with Reuters. “So we will wait for further assessments from our Danish colleagues, but it’s very clear on allies’ side, on our side, we all have to invest in counter drone capability.“

Let’s see if anyone confirms that on the Danish side.

A police update on last night’s Aalborg incidents is expected shortly, and TV2 says that all party leaders have been summoned for a briefing in the next half hour, so plenty of opportunities for us to get news lines there.

Back to Denmark, we are getting more reports of drone sightings in other parts of the country, including filed by shipping company Esvagt on “several” drones flying above the North Sea last night.

The company’s CEO, Kristian Ole Jacobsen, said “several ships observed something they suspect to be drones,” and they also appeared on the ships’ radars, DR reported.

The claims are being investigated, police said.

Nicolas Sarkozy has been summoned for 13 October to find out the date of his imprisonment, Le Monde, Libération and BFM TV are reporting via sources close to the former president.

This is yet to be officially confirmed.

Slovakia expects to find “common ground” with the United States after pressure to end Russian energy purchases, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico said as he defended receiving supplies from Moscow, Reuters reported.

The European Union has sought to isolate Russia for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and to phase out purchases of Russian fuel that can provide revenues for the war.

US president Donald Trump has also repeatedly said he wants the bloc to end its Russian energy purchases, suggesting his further pressure on Russia could be conditional on EU making progress on this.

In a question-and-answer session with lawmakers, Fico said Slovakia’s oil and gas purchases amounted to 2% of Russia’s revenue from these sources and have “no impact on financing the war.”

“The problem of oil and gas in Slovakia is not a question of supporting the war. It is not an ideological question that we can solve with alternatives in 15 seconds. It is a geographical issue, we simply do not have other options,” Fico said.

Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó has also said that Hungary’s energy supply cannot be guaranteed without Russian gas and oil imports.

Poland has banned pro-Russian Moldovan politician Irina Vlah from its territory for five years, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, accusing her of helping Moscow interfere in Moldova’s parliamentary elections.

Moldova holds a high-stakes parliamentary election on Sunday that could determine the fate of its hope to join the European Union, amid what officials have described as a Russian campaign to sway the vote and sabotage the EU accession plan.

Poland has been a staunch supporter of Moldova joining the EU, and prime minister Donald Tusk visited Chișinău alongside French and German leaders in August in a show of support for pro-western president Maia Sandu and her allies.

According to Reuters, the foreign ministry said in a statement:

Irina Vlah, a Moldovan politician who is assisting the Russian federation in interfering with preparations for the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, will be banned from entering the territory of the Republic of Poland.

The Russian federation is interfering in an unprecedented and illegal manner in political processes, including, in particular, preparations for the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova.

Moscow denies meddling in Moldova’s affairs and says Chișinău is stoking anti-Russian sentiment for political purposes.

Vlah is the leader of the Heart of Moldova Republican party and one of the leaders of the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc.

Canada and Lithuania have already banned Vlah from their territory.

in Paris

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been given a five-year prison sentence after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a trial in which he and aides were accused of making a corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive funding for the 2007 French presidential election campaign.

In a surprise ruling, the head judge, Nathalie Gavarino, handed down a special form of sentence that means Sarkozy, 70, will have to serve a prison term even if he appeals.

The start of his sentence will be set at a later date, with prosecutors given a month to inform the former head of state when he should go to prison.

The judge also ordered Sarkozy to pay a €100,000 (£87,000) fine.

He was found guilty of criminal conspiracy but acquitted of corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds and illegal election campaign funding.

Prosecutors had told the court that Sarkozy and his aides devised a “corruption pact” with Gaddafi and the Libyan regime in 2005 to illegally fund Sarkozy’s victorious presidential election campaign two years later.

The court had heard that in return for the money, the Libyan regime requested diplomatic, legal and business favours and it was understood that Sarkozy would rehabilitate Gaddafi’s international image. The autocratic Libyan leader, whose brutal 41-year rule was marked by human rights abuses, had been isolated internationally over his regime’s connection to terrorism, including the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland in December 1988.

Prosecutors accused members of Sarkozy’s entourage of meeting members of Gaddafi’s regime in Libya in 2005, when Sarkozy was interior minister. Soon after becoming French president in 2007, Sarkozy then invited the Libyan leader for a lengthy state visit to Paris, setting up his Bedouin tent in gardens near the Élysée Palace. Sarkozy was the first western leader to welcome Gaddafi on a full state visit since the freeze in relations in the 1980s over his pariah status as a sponsor of state terrorism.

But in 2011, Sarkozy put France at the forefront of Nato-led airstrikes against Gaddafi’s troops that helped rebel fighters topple his regime. Gaddafi was captured by rebels in October 2011 and killed.

The allegations of a secret campaign funding pact with the Libyan regime had been the biggest corruption trial faced by Sarkozy, 70, who was France’s rightwing president from 2007 to 2012.

Elsewhere, the Slovanian government has issued an effective travel ban against the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it was its way of expressing “a clear message” that Slovenia expects Israel to comply with decisions of international courts and human rights.

The decision was confirmed by deputy foreign minister for European affairs Neva Grašič.

The decision follows similar measures against two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, back in July.

Reuters noted that Slovenia, an EU member state which last year recognised a Palestinian state, imposed an arms embargo on Israel in August and introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, German defence minister Boris Pistorius warned about the growing threat posed by Russian space activities, citing concerns over two Russian satellites shadowing Intelsat satellites used by German forces and others, Reuters reported.

“Russia and China have expanded their capabilities for warfare in space rapidly over the past years: They can disrupt satellite operations, blind satellites, manipulate or kinetically destroy them,” he told a space conference in Berlin.

Pistorius underscored the need for talks on developing offensive capabilities in space as a deterrent, pointing to Russia’s use of two of its Luch Olymp satellites to track Intelsat satellites.

In first reaction to the French court’s ruling in Sarkozy’s case, the far-right leader Marine Le Pen sided with him in expressing concerns about the immediate execution of his imprisonment.

Le Pen, well familiar with court procedures given her own legal cases, said on X:

“[Looking] beyond the person of the former President Nicolas Sarkozy, the negation of the double degree of jurisdiction through the [broader use] of provisional enforcement by certain jurisdictions represents a great danger with regard to the great principles of our law, first and foremost among which is the presumption of innocence.”

In March, Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement of European parliament funds on a vast scale, a conviction for which she was also handed a four-year prison sentence, with two of those years suspended and two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet. She was also ordered to pay a €100,000 (£84,000) fine.

Crucially, the associated five-year ban on running for public office was also ordered to kick in with immediate effect, meaning it will apply even though Le Pen is appealing against the verdict.

Meanwhile, the Russian embassy in Denmark dismissed suggestions that Russia was behind the drone sightings near Danish airports and military bases.

In a statement on Telegram, it said:

“It is evident that the incidents involving reported disruptions at Danish airports are a staged provocation.

Undoubtedly, they will be used as a pretext for further escalating tension in the interests of forces seeking by all means to prolong the Ukrainian conflict and extend it to other countries.

The Russian side firmly rejects the absurd speculations of involvement in the incidents.”

Meanwhile, we have an update on Denmark, with the country’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen saying she spoke with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte this afternoon to discuss recent drone incursions into Danish airspace.

“Just spoke with @SecGenNATO about the serious situation related to drones over Danish airports. We agreed that Nato would work with Denmark on what we can do together to ensure safety and security,” Frederiksen said in a social media post.

Rutte said the alliance takes the situation “very seriously,” stressing that “Nato allies and Denmark are working together on how we can ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure.”

Sarkozy’s lawyer Christophe Ingrain strikes a similar tone in his comments to reporters, arguing that as Sarkozy never evaded the court and respected its summons, it feels excessive to send him to prison immediately, regardless of the appeal.

He repeats the same point about Sarkozy being acquitted of three out of four charges, and “yet he gets sentenced to a heavy prison sentence with imminent execution.” “That’s an incredible contradiction,” he says.

He says his client remains “combative” and confident of his innocence.

He says the appeal is being made “as we speak,” with the timeline for next steps to be decided by judicial processes.

Sarkozy highlights that he was acquitted of three out of four charges against him, and only found guilty on charges of “criminal conspiracy” with his associates.

He stresses that his address is well known, and being a public figure, he cannot escape his responsibilities.

He criticises the court’s decision to send him to prison, but confirms he will “comply with the summons.”

“If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison, but with my head held high.”

He notes that as he will have to appear in court before imprisonment, his critics will get their moment.

But adds:

“Those who hate me so much think they can humiliate me. What they have humiliated today is France, the image of France.”

He calls the verdict “scandalous injustice,” says he remains convinced of his innocence and will appeal.

And that’s it. Wow.

Sarkozy is now speaking to reporters.

He calls it a decision with “extreme consequences for the rule of law and the trust we can have in the justice system.”

It’s a truly historic moment. A former president of France will be going to prison – and it is reported in the French media that he will end up in custody even if he appeals.

Le Monde helpfully explains that, as part of the sentence, he will be “summoned within one month by the prosecutor’s office to be informed of his incarceration date,” but his appeal won’t suspend the sentence. That’s harsher than expected.

We will bring you more on this shortly.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been handed a sentence of five years in jail, French media are reporting.

Remember: he is expected to immediately appeal it (10:59).

We will bring you more shortly.

Nato representatives “at the technical level” are also expected to join tomorrow’s meeting on the EU’s “drone wall” initiative, an EU spokesperson confirmed.

Recent drone incursions will be discussed “in some detail” by European Commission president and heads of states at the informal European Council meeting in Copenhagen next week, EU deputy chief spokesperson Olof Gill has just said.

Defence spokesperson Thomas Regnier added that the issue will be also discussed during an initial meeting on the so-called “drone wall” on Friday, led by EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius with the seven frontline EU member states, joined by Denmark, Slovakia and Ukraine.

The works will focus on what “we will have to do to detect these incoming drones,” as “this is not super easy to do,” and then on how to “fight back” against them.

Separately, Norwegian authorities have confirmed that they seized a drone that flew close to the restricted zone around Oslo airport last night, and are looking for its operator.

A criminal case has been opened, although the drone was reportedly intercepted before it posed any problems for air traffic at the airport, TV2 and VG reported.

The move comes after the airport had to close down on Tuesday for a few hours after a possible drone sighting.

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a trial in which he and aides were accused of making an alleged corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive funding for the 2007 French presidential election campaign.

But Sarkozy was acquitted of three other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing.

Sarkozy, who had denied all wrongdoing in court, is expected to immediately appeal.

We are getting a line from Reuters just now that former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy – but not other charges - in a case looking into receiving millions of euros in illegal election campaign funding from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

We will bring you more when we have it.

• Denmark faces “systemic” drone incidents brought by a “professional” actor seeking to disrupt airports and military installations, defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said.

• Authorities have no evidence to confirm who is behind the incidents as they continue investigating the drone sightings.

• But Poulsen noted that “there are countries or actors who may have an interest in undermining our support for Ukraine” as he insisted “it is crucial we do not allow ourselves to be intimidated by Russia.”

• The drones appear to be potentially getting released in close vicinity to targets, posing additional questions about how they are operated and safety of critical infrastructure.

• The incidents appear to seek to “test boundaries, and create fear,” justice minister Peter Hummelgaard said, as he warned that “the threat of hybrid attacks is something here to stay.”

• Denmark is considering triggering the Article 4 of Nato treaty to convene a meeting to discuss the threat, after Poland and Estonia chose to do so earlier this month, but no final decision has been made yet.

• Ministers warned the nature of the incidents make it “completely unsustainable” for Danish infrastructure to be regularly put out of use, as they pledged to step up the country’s defences against drones.

• Officials were particularly pressed on their decision not to shoot the drones down, particularly over the Skrydstrup airbase which hosts F-35 fighter jets, arguing it was based on operational assessment at the time, but conceded they needed to get better at responding to drone incidents.

• On Friday, Denmark will join an EU meeting on the so-called “drone wall” to discuss regional cooperation and lessons that could be learned from Ukraine.

• Resolving the issue is increasingly urgent as EU leaders are expected in Copenhagen next week for an informal European Council meeting.

But Danish authorities appear to be confident that they are dealing with a skilled, professional operator – and not just rogue privately-owned drones.

“There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones,” defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen says.

Danish defence minister says the country has not yet made a decision on whether to formally ask for Nato Article 4 talks, as Poland and Estonia did that in recent weeks.

It is under consideration, defence minister Poulsen says, but confirms there’s active engagement with the EU and Nato on this.

There is a certain urgency to resolving the drone crisis as Copenhagen is set to host EU leaders on Wednesday next week. The security operation in place will be “very, very large,” the officials say.

Denmark’s justice and defence ministers are briefing the press now, alongside army and police representatives, describing it as a systemic hybrid attack against Denmark.

They both warn that the risk of hybrid incidents is “here to stay” and likely to continue in the coming days and weeks, with the intention to “create fear, to create division.”

The national police chief also confirms that there were reports of incidents at military facilities.

The government will seek to acquire “enhanced capabilities” to deal with the emerging threat and update its legislation to allow infrastructure owners to take down drones more easily.

There will still be questions over the practicality of such moves, particularly in crowded or densely inhabited areas, but it will improve the legal situation. But they also level with the public to say that even with their capabilities, they won’t always be able to take them down.

But defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, insists there was no direct military threat against Denmark.

Responding to questions from journalists, the ministers also say there is currently no evidence to link the attacks to Russia, although they do mention in passing other incidents in Europe that have been attributed to Russia and say the incidents could be aimed at undermining Denmark’s support for Ukraine.

Denmark wakes up once again to reports of unidentified drones in its airspace overnight, forcing a temporary closure of Aalborg airport late evening and prompting concerns over their presence in at least three other locations, including near military bases.

The incidents come just days after Copenhagen airport saw flights halted for several hours after reported drone sightings.

In a hastily convened late night press conference, authorities explained that there were some similarities between the two events, but could not offer more clarity on who was behind the incidents.

The Danish authorities are holding a press conference updating the public on their investigation right now, and I will bring you all the key lines here.

It’s Thursday, 25 September 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.