Kallas says drone attack in Leipzig bears signs of state terrorism
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the thwarted drone attack near Leipzig/Halle Airport bears all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism. She made the statement after Germany placed responsibility for the incident on the Russian Federation — an aggressor state, Politico Europe reports.
Germany’s and the EU’s response
On September 1, Berlin officially accused Moscow of involvement in the August 4 incident, when three drones with explosives were found near Leipzig/Halle Airport. Germany announced diplomatic response measures and its intention to seek new EU sanctions. Russia denies any involvement.
Speaking during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Wicklow, Ireland, Kallas called Germany’s decision a strong signal and noted support for Berlin from EU countries. According to her, the EU has already summoned the Russian ambassador, as have a number of the bloc’s member states.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Sanctions proposals
According to Kallas, the EU is preparing another 1,600 sanctions listings targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex. She emphasized that no specific decisions would be made at the September 2 meeting, but Germany has the political support of its partners.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that Paris would support Germany’s sanctions proposals and suggest measures against additional Russian vessels. He also called the incident part of the Kremlin’s ongoing attempts to destabilize the EU, its democratic processes, and weaken support for Ukraine. Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said that this was no longer only about hybrid threats, accusing Moscow of seeking to divide EU governments and intimidate citizens.
