A reported drone incident at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport has raised sharper concerns in Washington than recent airspace violations linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
NATO countries should not leave deliberate hybrid attacks unanswered, and the United States will support its allies in countering such incidents. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said this on September 5 during a business conference in Cernobbio, Italy.
As reported by reuters.com.
According to him, the attempted drone attack on Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport, which Berlin blamed on Russia, is more concerning than other recent incidents. These include cases in which Russian drones attacking Ukraine veered off course and crossed the borders of NATO countries.
I would describe the more alarming hybrid actions as what we saw in Leipzig, as well as what we observed in Poland.
– Matthew Whitaker
Whitaker stressed that NATO members must be prepared for similar challenges, remain vigilant, and respond decisively to such incidents.
If we are able to establish who did it – as Germany was able to do – we must clearly state that such actions are unacceptable and that we will not tolerate them.
– Matthew Whitaker
NATO’s Position on Hybrid Attacks
The U.S. ambassador’s statement indicates that the Alliance is prepared to strengthen its political response to deliberate hybrid actions against its members. According to Whitaker, Washington will support its allies in the event of similar incidents.