German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Thursday of further Russian hybrid attacks, including drone and cyber assaults, as he pledged continued support for Ukraine. Merz stated Germany stands with Ukraine and freedom, emphasizing the need to resist division by hybrid tactics and political slogans. He also noted Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and the country's likely harshest winter since the 2022 invasion.
The warnings of escalating Russian hybrid warfare and continued German support for Ukraine underscore the ongoing geopolitical tensions and security challenges facing Europe. The political divisions within Germany, highlighted by the AfD's stance, add complexity to the country's foreign policy and its ability to maintain a united front against Russian aggression.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Thursday that Germany faces more hybrid attacks from Russia, including serious ones, as he pledged to continue support for Ukraine. Merz made the remarks during a speech marking the award of the 2026 Westphalian Peace Prize to the NATO alliance.
German authorities have repeatedly warned that Russia is conducting a hybrid campaign of drone and cyber attacks, accusing Moscow of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in August. Moscow has rejected these accusations.
President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that Moscow is not planning to attack foreign factories producing weapons for Ukraine but that Russian intelligence services need to track such activities closely.
Merz and his conservative party have been weakened by recent elections in two eastern German states where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party triumphed. The AfD has criticized Germany and its allies for supporting Ukraine with military aid and advocates for repairing ties with Moscow and restoring the flow of cheap oil and gas.
Merz expressed Germany's desire to re-establish "stable, predictable relations with Russia" at an appropriate time, but noted there is no sign that Moscow is ready to end the war in Ukraine. He emphasized that Germany does not wish to humiliate the Russian people or destabilize the Russian state, but that Russia must end the war and refrain from hybrid attacks on Europe. Merz also highlighted Germany's responsibility to help Ukraine, which is likely facing its harshest winter since the Russian invasion, and stated Germany stands on the side of freedom and Ukraine. He added that Germany and its allies cannot be divided by hybrid attacks, social media campaigns, or the slogans of the AfD and its Russian backers.
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