Nicușor Dan and Friedrich Merz, joint message following drone attacks in Europe

President Nicușor Dan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned about the intensification of hybrid attacks targeting European states and emphasized the need for a joint response. The statements were made in the context of drone incidents in Romania, suspicions of espionage involving NATO bases, and Germany’s accusations regarding Russia’s involvement in the drone incident at Leipzig Airport.

Nicușor Dan stated that, in recent years, there have probably been “thousands of incidents” in Europe, ranging from sabotage and attacks on critical infrastructure to cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. The president emphasized that European states still do not have a common picture of the scale of the phenomenon.

The Romanian head of state called for enhanced cooperation, information sharing, and the development of European states’ cyber and intelligence capabilities.

Friedrich Merz stated that Germany knows the origin of the interference and attacks, asserting that there is clear evidence of Russia’s involvement. The chancellor announced that Berlin had already taken measures and was preparing legislative changes to strengthen the powers of security institutions.

Merz specified that protecting Germany must be extended to NATO and European Union territory, as well as to support for Ukraine. He warned that Russia’s aggression targets not only Ukraine but represents a threat to the whole of Europe.