The Young Union (JU) of North Rhine-Westphalia is advocating for heightened cooperation between German security agencies and Ukrainian counterparts to better prepare for potential drone attacks targeting critical infrastructure.
In a policy paper cited by the newspaper, the youth wing of the CDU proposes expanding the partnership between the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk. The proposal calls for police, security, and civil defense agencies from both regions to work together permanently. This initiative is driven partly by the incident involving an explosive-laden drone found on the premises of Leipzig/Halle Airport.
Kevin Gniosdorz, the regional chairman of the Young Union in NRW, stressed that no nation knows better than Ukraine how to keep critical infrastructure operational and defend against massive drone strikes while under fire. He stated that Germany must urgently learn from this experience before it is forced to face similar challenges itself. Specifically, the JU demands regular exchange programs and specialized training, fostering a structured dialogue between German and Ukrainian security authorities. Key topics for collaboration would include drone detection, protecting essential infrastructure, and developing public warning systems.
This initiative has received support from the North Rhine-Westphalia State Chancellery. European Minister Nathanael Liminski (CDU) told the publication that the Ukraine possesses unparalleled knowledge in this area-in its army, state structure, and society. He noted that the country demonstrates how critical infrastructure protection must be conceived in real-time conditions: through networked systems, modular technology, and rapid response capabilities. North Rhine-Westphalia aims to draw concrete lessons from Ukraine’s experiences. Furthermore, discussions have already been held with the Ukrainian partner region of Dnipropetrovsk regarding the expansion of this professional exchange.
