The attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport, attributed to Russia, marks a new escalation of its actions on European soil and will only strengthen the European Union's determination to increase pressure on Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today, quoted by Reuters, BTA reported.
"This was an attack using military materials carried out by Russian agents on European Union territory," Von der Leyen told journalists in Brussels. She added that there could have been casualties if the attack had been successful.
"Europe and NATO will not only continue the pressure on Russia. We will step it up and we will not stop there," the European Commission President made it clear.
Von der Leyen noted that the incident was part of a "broader series of increasingly dangerous incidents." "Europeans are facing the bitter truth that this is the new normal. We need to increase the pressure," she said.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte echoed von der Leyen's comments, saying Russia was becoming "increasingly reckless."
The German government said it expected Moscow to take retaliatory measures after blaming Russia for last month's foiled drone attack on a busy logistics hub, a government spokesman said, adding that Berlin was ready for such measures, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
"At the same time, we assume that the Kremlin has clearly and unequivocally understood our message yesterday. These hybrid attacks will not achieve their political goal," the spokesman said.
Yesterday, Berlin announced its conclusion that Russia was behind the attempted attack on Leipzig/Halle airport, and ordered a number of measures in response, including the closure of a consulate and a Russian cultural center in the German capital.