Security experts are urging NATO to address the recent drone attack on Leipzig Airport in early August, advocating for the activation of Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven, a former BND Vice President and later an alternate Secretary General of NATO, told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that launching consultations under Article 4 seems mandatory, especially given the consistent growth in both the quantity and quality of hybrid attacks across Europe.
Article 4 outlines a process for consultation when an ally believes its territorial integrity, political independence, or security is under threat; crucially, this does not trigger the full Article 5 collective defense.
This call for Article 4 consultations is also gaining support in the German Bundestag. CDU member Roderich Kiesewetter stated to the newspaper that following the series of sabotage incidents, attacks on ammunition factories, and drone events across the continent, invoking Article 4 is an obvious and logical next step.
Following the announcement by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) that the federal government would soon identify the perpetrators of the Leipzig drone attack, security specialists warn against insufficient countermeasures. Jan Stöckmann of the German Institute for Foreign Policy (DGAP), speaking to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, cautioned that simply recalling the Russian ambassador again would likely fail to deter Moscow from further testing its vulnerabilities. Freytag von Loringhoven similarly warned that if the Chancellor’s strong statements are not backed by real action, Moscow will interpret this as a sign of weakness.
Merz had previously announced during a cabinet meeting that the culprits of hybrid attacks would pay, though he provided no details. Kiesewetter suggested that one should not be surprised by a strategic, rather than protest-driven, response from Putin. To counter these threats, he demanded reinforced, unscheduled defensive and air defense exercises on vulnerable flanks. Beyond this, his proposals include the immediate closure of Russian espionage and influence centers, such as the Russian House in Berlin, strict limitation of Russian diplomats’ freedom of movement, and the rigorous halting of the Russian “shadow fleet.”
