Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign policy chief, told reporters on Wednesday that the foiled drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany bears all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism and that the bloc must decide how to respond.
What happened?
German authorities said a drone loaded with explosives was intercepted near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on 4 August. The device was safely defused, but the incident was quickly attributed to Russia by Berlin. In a related incident, a fire broke out at a major drone-manufacturing plant in Poland earlier this week, with Russian involvement also suspected.
Why does it matter?
The attacks target critical logistics hubs that support Ukraine, raising concerns that Moscow is escalating a hybrid campaign across Europe. The EU has already imposed nearly two dozen sanction packages on Russia, affecting more than 3,000 individuals and entities, and is preparing additional travel bans and asset freezes for another 1,600 people.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France had summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the Leipzig incident and is seeking sanctions on further ships belonging to the Kremlin's shadow fleet, which transports illicit oil to fund the war.
It is clear that it has all the hallmarks of state sponsored terrorism. The question is: what do we do about this,
said Kaja Kallas before chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland.
What happens next?
EU ministers are weighing options that avoid direct military escalation while delivering a robust response. Germany, which described itself as a "daily target" of Russian hybrid tactics, warned that Russia must now face the consequences of its actions.
German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul said Berlin had prepared its reply and urged Russia to return to "reasonable talks and negotiations, particularly regarding the situation in Ukraine".
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, speaking at the same meeting, warned that Russia is trying to divide the EU and pledged continued support for Ukraine.
The EU is expected to finalise new sanctions measures in the coming weeks, while member states continue to coordinate diplomatic expulsions and reinforce security at vulnerable infrastructure.