Newsletters
NATO allies should not tolerate deliberate hybrid attacks, and the U.S. will support members facing such threats, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Saturday, citing the recent drone incident at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Speaking on the sidelines of a business conference in Italy, Whitaker said the August incident, which Germany blamed on Russia, was more concerning than recent cases in which Russian drones strayed into NATO airspace while targeting Ukraine.
“Then you have what I would call the more concerning hybrid actions like we saw in Leipzig, like we have seen in Poland,” Whitaker said, according to NTD News.
He urged NATO members to remain vigilant and respond firmly when responsibility for hostile actions can be established.
“If we can identify who's doing it – which Germany did – we make sure we express strongly that is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it,” he said.
Whitaker warned that critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, could become targets and said national authorities should closely monitor such sites.
He said responding to hybrid attacks remains primarily the responsibility of individual NATO members, but added that Washington would stand with allies confronting such actions.
Germany has accused Russian intelligence services of planning the Aug. 5 drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Berlin subsequently announced measures including the closure of Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn and the termination of an agreement covering Russian cultural and information centers, including the Russian House in Berlin.
Russia has rejected Germany’s accusations as “unsubstantiated, absurd and irrational.”
The Russian Embassy in Germany said Berlin had presented no evidence and described the measures as an “unprecedented escalation” in bilateral relations.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova separately warned that Germany would receive a “fitting response.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin also rejected Berlin’s allegations, saying Germany’s claims about the attempted drone attack were primarily driven by its domestic political situation.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
