Friedrich Merz stated on Saturday that Russia poses a constant and severe danger to the nation. Speaking at a convention of the co-ruling Christian Social Union in Munich, he described the gravity of the situation in Eastern Europe.
We are facing a massive threat in the east of our continent, Merz told the gathering. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has profoundly shaken the European peace order.
Merz asserted that hostile actions extend far beyond the battlefield in Ukraine. We also see that Russia seeks to destabilize Germany, day in and day out, he told attendees, pointing to hostile methods employed across the continent.
Across Europe, we are witnessing cyberattacks, sabotage, attempted attacks against critical infrastructure, such as the one at Leipzig Airport on August 4th, and attempts to destabilize our democratic society, Merz stated. He linked these security challenges directly to the preservation of national values. All of this threatens our freedom, and that is why we are investing in preserving our freedom, he said.
His remarks echoed a recent assessment delivered by the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency. Federal Intelligence Service President Martin Jaeger issued an earlier warning to parliament’s intelligence committee on October 5.
Jaeger told lawmakers that the ongoing confrontation with Moscow had entered a new and more dangerous phase. Germany is in danger of becoming embroiled in a violent conflict with Russia, he said during the committee hearing.
The intelligence chief specifically pointed to the summer incident in Leipzig as evidence of the escalating risk. The attempted attack in Leipzig is only one example of that, Jaeger said, referring to an attempted drone strike on a Ukrainian cargo plane in August. No other country currently poses such a direct, comprehensive and concrete threat to Germany, he concluded.
