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Germany is coordinating its response to the drone incident at Leipzig Airport earlier this month with its European and NATO allies, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The response from Berlin is “currently being finalized with the European Union and NATO partners,” the chancellor told broadcaster ARD in his traditional summer interview.<\/p>\n
Merz’s government has yet to confirm who was responsible for the incident in Leipzig, amid widespread speculation that Russia could be behind it.<\/p>\n
The chancellor refused to be drawn on the question, but said the investigation was nearing completion and that his government has agreed on how to respond.<\/p>\n
A drone fitted with explosives and a detonation mechanism was discovered on the evening of August 4 in the security zone of Leipzig\/Halle Airport, between Ukrainian cargo aircraft.<\/p>\n
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigation, describing the incident as a “serious attack on transport and logistics infrastructure in Germany.”<\/p>\n
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt later said Leipzig was “not an isolated case” but part of a broader pattern.<\/p>\n
Security authorities have warned in recent years of “hybrid attacks” from Russia, with Germany and its NATO allies investing heavily to rearm to counter the threat from Moscow.<\/p>\n
Merz was pressed in the interview on the spending spree on defence, with the budget for the German military, the Bundeswehr, set to leap from \u20ac82 billion ($95 billion) this year to \u20ac153 billion in 2028.<\/p>\n
“We must rectify the shortcomings of the last 15 years,” said Merz. “The Bundeswehr is not where it ought to be. We must be able to defend ourselves in Germany.”<\/p>\n
“What use is the best parental allowance to us if we lose our freedom and peace in Europe is jeopardized?” he questioned.<\/p>\n
However, he also insisted that defence projects should become “much more cost-effective,” announcing a fresh review of procurement procedures in coordination with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.<\/p>\n
The aim, Merz said, is a modern Bundeswehr.<\/p>\n
“We do not want to fall back on old weapons systems,” he explained. “We can see that technological development is advancing at a rapid pace, including in the defence industry.”<\/p>\n
New ideas are emerging at universities and research institutions, and defence start-ups are booming, the chancellor said.<\/p>\n
“It doesn’t have to be that expensive at all,” he added, pointing to Ukraine’s experience in developing low-cost defence projects such as drones in its war against Russia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n