The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the European Union will respond to hybrid attacks attributed to Russia, after Germany officially accused Moscow of the drone incident at Leipzig airport. Von der Leyen will meet on Wednesday with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, to discuss a coordinated response, writes Euronews.
The head of the European Commission expressed her “full solidarity” with Germany, after the authorities in Berlin announced on Monday that Russia was behind the incident that occurred in August.
“We will keep the European Union united in the face of these increasingly serious and intense actions”, von der Leyen conveyed on X. “The German government has taken firm measures. And the message is clear: hybrid attacks will not remain without a clear response,” she added.
The meeting between von der Leyen and Mark Rutte was set up on short notice, confirmed on Tuesday by the main spokesperson of the European Commission, Paula Pinho. The discussions will also take place in the context where the EU and NATO are trying to strengthen their cooperation in the field of defense.
A NATO official told Euronews that the main theme will be tighter coordination in the face of hybrid threats.
Mark Rutte, in turn, conveyed that NATO stands with Germany and that “the evidence is clear” regarding Russia’s responsibility.
“NATO will continue to strengthen its deterrence and defense capacity against any threats, including hostile actions like those seen in Leipzig and other areas of the Alliance,” he said.