After Germany’s Bold Statement, Lithuania Questions Whether Its Response Is Strong Enough

Germany has finally said the word it had previously avoided in public: Russia. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced that the federal government had concluded Moscow was responsible for the hybrid attack in Leipzig on August 4.

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They will pay for it.

The declaration marked a change in tone for Berlin, but Lithuania’s reaction was cautious. The measures Germany announced include closing Russia’s last general consulate in Bonn and ending agreements with the Russian House cultural institution, which German officials have also described as a center of Russian propaganda. Berlin also plans stricter checks on Russians entering the country, increased pressure on Russia’s shadow fleet and efforts to secure more EU sanctions against Russian officials.

Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said Russia had shown no interest in compromise. He argued that the Leipzig attack represented a deliberate decision by Russia’s leadership to further damage already strained bilateral relations. Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not attend the press conference, instead sending two ministers.

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The federal government has concluded that Russia is responsible for the hybrid attack in Leipzig on August 4.

German politicians and security experts had expected a tougher response. Proposals discussed publicly included using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine, supplying Ukraine with Taurus long-range missiles and invoking NATO Article 4 for allied consultations. The government did not mention any of those measures.

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We must conclude that Russia shows no desire to compromise. On the contrary, through the attack in Leipzig, Russia’s leadership deliberately decided to further harm our already strained bilateral relations.

Fausta Šimaitytė of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s office in Lithuania linked the restrained response to domestic politics, pointing to elections in Saxony and the strength of the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Russia had viewed Berlin’s statement as another escalation in already poor relations, while Lithuania’s priority was to show solidarity. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU foreign ministers meeting informally in Ireland also expressed solidarity with Germany. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys called for renewed discussion of using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine.

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We fully stand in solidarity with Germany.