Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has issued a stark warning that recent Russian drone flights breaching Polish and Romanian airspace are not isolated events but part of a deliberate and long-standing strategy of sabotage aimed at destabilizing Europe’s democracies. Speaking before the Bundestag on Wednesday, Merz described the incursions as part of President Vladimir Putin’s broader playbook of hybrid warfare designed to test boundaries and undermine confidence in NATO and the European Union.
Merz stressed that the repeated airspace violations by Russia should not be dismissed as accidents or minor provocations. Instead, he characterized them as “systematic attempts to probe vulnerabilities” within NATO territory. According to the Chancellor, these flights form part of a pattern of pressure tactics that Moscow has been employing across Europe from cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to energy blackmail and now direct aerial incursions.
“These are not coincidences,” Merz told lawmakers. “They are deliberate acts aimed at sowing fear and confusion within free societies.”
The Chancellor also drew a direct connection between Russia’s aerial intrusions and the broader stakes of the war in Ukraine. He argued that any future peace settlement must guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in full. Anything less, Merz said, would embolden Moscow to redraw borders by force and target new states in the region.
“A peace without freedom is no peace at all,” he declared. “If Putin senses weakness, if he believes he can dictate terms, he will not stop at Ukraine. He will search for the next opportunity, the next target.”
Poland and Romania, the two NATO members whose airspace was recently violated, have raised sharp concerns with Moscow. Merz underscored that such actions strike at the heart of the NATO alliance, as they challenge the fundamental principle of collective defense. The repeated incursions, he said, threaten to normalize dangerous violations of sovereignty, raising the risk of miscalculation or escalation.
Germany, he pledged, will work closely with its NATO partners to enhance surveillance, strengthen air defenses, and ensure that Moscow understands the costs of further provocations.
Domestically, Merz’s remarks were also aimed at bolstering political consensus around strengthening defense and security measures. With debates ongoing in Germany about military spending and readiness, the Chancellor’s framing of the Russian threat adds urgency to calls for investment in defense infrastructure.
Internationally, Merz sought to rally European allies by emphasizing that these incidents are not just about Poland or Romania, but about the credibility of democratic nations to defend their sovereignty. “Russia’s strategy is to weaken us through division and doubt. Our answer must be unity and resolve,” he said.
For Germany, the recent drone flights serve as both a warning and a test. They highlight how Russia is willing to push the boundaries of international law and sovereignty in small but provocative ways. By calling them part of a “long trend of sabotage,” Merz signaled that Berlin sees these events as more than passing incidents they are stepping stones in a larger confrontation over Europe’s future stability.
The Chancellor’s message was clear: Europe cannot afford complacency. Whether through military readiness, diplomatic solidarity, or firm defense of democratic principles, Germany intends to ensure that Russian provocations do not go unanswered.