Von der Leyen and Rutte threaten Moscow with ‘more pressure’ after Leipzig attack

Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte warned Moscow that Europe and NATO would intensify pressure after a hybrid drone attack at an airport in Leipzig that they attributed to Russia. Von der Leyen said the response would continue until Russia stopped bombing Ukraine and killing civilians.

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Europe and NATO will not only maintain pressure on Russia, but increase it. And we will not stop until Russia stops bombing and killing innocent children, men and women in Ukraine.

She described the incident as a new escalation on European Union soil and part of a series of increasingly dangerous events. Repeated airspace incursions, drones disrupting airports and interference with critical infrastructure had become “the new normal,” she said. Everyday infrastructure in the EU should therefore be treated as a frontline target and protected accordingly.

Von der Leyen said the EU would support any member state targeted by Russia and already had rapid-response teams capable of handling such attacks inside and outside the bloc. She also announced that the EU had received a new Ukrainian request for several billion euros to support air defenses, including Patriot PAC-3 systems. Member states are examining the request, which she said was moving in the right direction.

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The new normal.

The Commission president called for Europe to mobilize its defense capabilities more quickly and build a faster, integrated warning system able to intercept threats sooner. Rutte said the defense industry needed to expand through new factories and production lines, while companies across Europe and the wider alliance should cooperate more closely. He said Russia had become increasingly reckless, with more drones and missiles entering airspace along NATO’s eastern flank and more activities directed against allied territory.

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Russia has become increasingly reckless.