Germany’s leading voice on foreign policy, Norbert Röttgen, has called for an immediate procurement program for defensive drones within the Bundeswehr (German armed forces), citing the recent incursions of Russian drones into Polish and Romanian airspace – both NATO member states.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” Röttgen emphasized the need for NATO to bolster its capabilities in countering Russian drone activity. He suggested a collaborative industrial and technological partnership with Ukraine as a mutually beneficial solution. Röttgen specifically highlighted Germany’s significant deficit in drone technology, stating that the German government must urgently initiate a procurement program to address this gap.
The call for action comes following repeated instances of Russian drones penetrating NATO airspace, with the latest incursions occurring over the weekend in Poland and Romania, prompting the deployment of fighter jets. Röttgen argued that relying on costly and complex conventional air defense systems to combat drones is unsustainable. He asserted that NATO cannot tolerate such violations of international law and must swiftly equip itself with appropriate defensive measures.
