Germany’s move to blame Russia for Leipzig drone incident ‘a grave mistake,’ says Putin– Europe live

'Russia has grown increasingly reckless,' Nato's Rutte says

Rutte continues by warning that “Russia has grown increasingly reckless.”

“We have seen more drones and missiles crossing into our airspace along our eastern flank, creating increased risk. We have also seen an increase in malign activities targeting our territory directly, whether there’s fires set in factories producing defence equipment for Ukraine, or indeed the Russian hybrid attack in Leipzig.”

He says “the danger Russia poses is clear,” with Nato “working round the clock to keep our people safe.”

“If Russia thinks we will be divided by the threats, or if they think we will be deterred from supporting Ukraine, they are mistaken. Our unity is unshaken.”

Ukraine has officially notified the International Civil Aviation Organization that Russia’s airspace is not safe for civilian aviation, Reuters reports.

Earlier Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while insisting there was no intention to directly threaten civilian flights, said “We want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, and everyone who still uses Russia’s key airports: Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe.”

AP reports, citing local officials, that Russian strikes on the city of Dnipro in central Ukraine have killed a man and a woman. The assault hit food warehouses belonging to a retail chain, wounding at least six people, said Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration.

German media: two suspects with ties to Russia identified over planned Leipzig attack

Süddeutsche Zeitung in Germany is reporting that two suspects have been identified in the attempted attack on cargo planes at Leipzig Airport.

It states that “According to information from the Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR, investigators are certain they have identified two suspects in connection with the planned attack” and that the two men are “a Russian-born man with a Latvian passport and a man from Belarus with a Russian passport, both known to authorities.”

Ukraine finalising drone deal with Germany, Zelenskyy says after talks with Merz

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is finalising its drone deal with Germany after his talks with chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier today.

After speaking with Merz via a video conference, Zelenskyy said the pair discussed Russia’s drone attack in Leipzig, which he warned is “yet another Russian escalation.”

“Friedrich briefed me on the measures taken.

For my part, I assured him that Ukraine is ready to help – with expertise, experience, or in other areas where Germany may need it.

Our teams are already finalising the text of the Drone Deal, and this will, among other things, definitely provide both Germany and Ukraine with additional defence capabilities. We discussed the substance of the agreement and when we will be able to sign it.”

Meanwhile, Estonia’s leading constitutional lawyerÜlle Madise has been elected the country’s next president, set to take over from Alar Karis on 12 October.

Madise, 51, has been Estonia’s human rights and constitutionality ombudsman since 2015.

She will be Estonia’s second female president, after Kersti Kaljulaid who served in the post between 2016 and 2021.

The two leaders take no questions and wrap their press conference up after statements.

That’s a shame as there are no doubts many questions that could be asked here, including on the US’s apparent reluctance to name Russia as the country behind the Leipzig attack (12:00).

'Russia has grown increasingly reckless,' Nato's Rutte says

Rutte continues by warning that “Russia has grown increasingly reckless.”

“We have seen more drones and missiles crossing into our airspace along our eastern flank, creating increased risk. We have also seen an increase in malign activities targeting our territory directly, whether there’s fires set in factories producing defence equipment for Ukraine, or indeed the Russian hybrid attack in Leipzig.”

He says “the danger Russia poses is clear,” with Nato “working round the clock to keep our people safe.”

“If Russia thinks we will be divided by the threats, or if they think we will be deterred from supporting Ukraine, they are mistaken. Our unity is unshaken.”

He says he agrees with von der Leyen on all points.

He says it’s clear that “allies are united in their commitment to each other, to our collective defence,” as he goes through his usual spiel on increase defence spending in recent years.

'Every loophole Russia exploits is one we must close,' EU's von der Leyen says

von der Leyen says that EU sanctions have weakened Russia’s economy, but more needs to be done.

“We can more use more sanctions and have them ready to impose as soon as such dangerous, life threatening acts are attributed. Every loophole Russia exploits is one we must close.”

She also repeatedly says the EU will continue supporting Ukraine, with a new payment request from Kyiv to pay for Ukrainian air defence systems.

She says the EU is working closely with Nato to “mobilise its defence surge even sooner” than previously anticipated.

“We will continue, we will prevail and we will deter anyone who attacks our freedom and our security.”

EU, Nato 'will not just maintain pressure on Russia; we will increase it,' von der Leyen says

von der Leyen continues by saying that the Leipzig attack fits “a broader pattern of increasingly dangerous incidents,” including “repeated incursions in our airspace, drones that paralyse our airports, and interference with our critical infrastructure.”

“Europeans are faced with the hard truth that this is the new normal. We have to step up, and that means being ready to respond to Russia’s recklessness faster and better.”

She says the EU will support any member state that Russia targets.

“Europe and Nato will not just maintain our pressure on Russia, we will increase it.”

Leipzig attack 'marks a new escalation on EU soil', von der Leyen says

von der Leyen opens the press conference.

She says their meeting is to discuss the German government’s decision to name Russia as responsible for the Leipzig drone attack.

She says that had the attack succeeded, it would have caused significant damage and possibly loss of life.

“So I want to be very clear about what this was. This was an attack using military grade material carried out by Russian operatives on European Union soil. We will not tolerate it. We stand in full solidarity with Germany.

If the intention was to make us think twice about supporting Ukraine, I can tell you it has only strengthened my resolve. Intimidation will not work.”

She says the Leipzig attack “marks a new escalation on EU soil, directly attributed to Russia.”

EU's von der Leyen and Nato's Rutte brief media on alleged Russia sabotage, Ukraine

European Commission’s president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte are about to address the press.

They are expected to give their statements in response to Germany’s decision to formally blame Moscow for the attempted Leipzig drone attack last month.

You can follow along here:

Obviously, I will bring you the key lines here, too.

Russian airspace becoming unsafe for commercial airlines, Zelenskyy says

Dan Sabbaghin Kyiv and Pjotr Sauer

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia’s airspace is becoming unsafe for commercial airlines, as Vladimir Putin promised to step up strikes against Ukraine’s energy facilities in the run-up to winter.

The Ukrainian president said there was no intention to directly threaten civilian flights, but the growing number of Ukrainian attack drones flying into the country would have to be “taken into account” by the aviation industry.

“We want to warn every airline that uses Russian airspace, every insurer, and everyone who still uses Russia’s key airports: Russian airspace is becoming completely unsafe,” he said in a statement.

A rapid escalation of Ukrainian military capability in the past few months has allowed the country’s forces to strike locations deep inside Russia.

Reliable figures for the number of drone flights are hard to obtain but Ukraine is already capable of launching several hundred a day, and military sources say the country is chasing a target of 1,000 drones in an effort to hurt Russia’s economy.

Ukraine’s commercial airspace has been closed since the beginning of the full scale invasion in February 2022 because Russia has been able to strike targets throughout the country, making airports unsafe for civilians.

US ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker offered the US solidarity with Germany “in the face of efforts to cause harm and chaos on Nato territory” – but without naming the country or party behind these efforts.

“The United States stands in solidarity with Germany and all Allies in the face of efforts to cause harm and chaos on Nato territory.

We remain committed to Nato’s collective defense and clear-eyed about the need for Allies to increase their capabilities to deter all threats to the Alliance.”

Alexander Throm, who heads German parliament’s domestic affairs committee, told Reuters the number of disruptive incidents before this weekend’s election in the state of Saxony-Anhalt was “extremely suspicious“.

Opinion polls suggest the AfD, an anti-immigrant party with strong support in the east, could win power for the first time at state level.

The party has called for an end to German support for Ukraine and a resumption of energy agreements with Moscow that provided Germany with cheap oil and gas until supplies were halted in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.