Europe warns of Russian threat while its weapons makers pull in different directions
This week French officials, European spy chiefs and other reports warned that Russia is preparing more direct action against NATO countries.
This week French officials, European spy chiefs and other reports warned that Russia is preparing more direct action against NATO countries.
This week Finland finished a 200-kilometre border fence, Latvia's ban on Russian and Belarusian books and goods took effect, and Germany and Russia expelled diplomats after a drone was found near a plane at a German airport.
German police investigating a failed drone attack on Leipzig airport have found that one suspect lived in Russia for years, according to the newspaper Welt.
In one week, four separate incidents added to a pattern of suspected Russian hybrid warfare against European countries.
In one week, NATO jets shot down an explosive-laden drone that entered Latvia from Belarus, the US scaled back a major annual drill with South Korea, and a former Finnish prime minister warned Europe would react slowly to Chinese pressure on Taiwan, unlike its fast response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, because the EU's decades-old one China policy avoids taking a clear stand on Taiwan.
Latvia's prime minister, Andris Kulbergs, has asked the European Union for 7 billion euros to help cover costs from Russia's war against Ukraine, saying countries near Russia carry too much of that burden.
NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that crossed into Latvia near its border with Russia and Belarus on Friday.