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Von der Leyen: Leipzig Drone Attack Marks New Russian Escalation on EU Territory
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the drone incident at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport as an attack carried out by Russian intelligence operatives using military-grade materials on European Union territory, Deutsche Welle reported on September 2.
Speaking in Brussels ahead of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, von der Leyen said the EU would not tolerate such actions and expressed full solidarity with Germany.
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She said that if Russia had intended the incident to make European countries reconsider their support for Ukraine, it had instead strengthened their determination to continue backing Kyiv.
Von der Leyen described the alleged sabotage operation in Leipzig as a new escalation on EU territory directly linked to Russia and said it formed part of a broader pattern of increasingly dangerous incidents.
The European Commission president also pledged that the EU would not only maintain pressure on Moscow but intensify it until Russia ends its war against Ukraine and its attacks on civilians.
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According to von der Leyen, the bloc intends to counter hostile Russian activities regardless of whether they occur inside or outside the EU. She added that the EU was prepared to respond with sanctions whenever Russian responsibility for such actions was established.
Von der Leyen also pledged to close loopholes used by Russia to circumvent existing restrictions. She said additional sanctions against Moscow were being discussed during an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland.
Her remarks follow Germany’s formal attribution to Russia of the attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport. German authorities have described the incident as part of Moscow’s hybrid activities in Europe.
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Her remarks come after Germany formally attributed the attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russia, describing the incident as part of Moscow’s broader hybrid activities in Europe. Berlin has since taken diplomatic measures in response, including ordering the closure of Russia’s last remaining consulate general in the country.
Russia’s Consulate General in Bonn ceased operations ahead of its scheduled closure after the German government ordered the diplomatic mission to shut down by September 18, 2026. Following Berlin’s decision, the consulate stopped accepting applications for all consular services.
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