US NATO envoy pledges solidarity with Germany over Leipzig attack

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker on Wednesday pledged American solidarity with Germany following Berlin's accusations that Moscow orchestrated an attempted drone attack on Leipzig Airport last month, vowing continued commitment to the Alliance's collective defense posture.

US vows solidarity amid hybrid threats

"The United States stands in solidarity with Germany and all Allies in the face of efforts to cause harm and chaos on NATO territory," Whitaker wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday. He added: "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." The ambassador's remarks followed German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt's public accusation against Moscow.

Berlin blames Moscow for logistics hub plot

Dobrindt told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday that investigators had determined the plot was planned by Russian intelligence services and executed by low-level operatives. Leipzig Airport serves as a major freight hub and critical logistics node for military cargo, including Ukrainian Antonov flights transporting Western aid to Kyiv, making it a strategic target for disruption.

Kremlin rejects 'paranoia' accusations

Russian officials have rejected allegations of assassinations, sabotage, drone incursions, and espionage across NATO territories, accusing Western governments of stoking "anti-Russian paranoia." The Kremlin has consistently denied orchestrating attacks on European soil despite repeated claims from Berlin, London, and other capitals pointing to Russian intelligence involvement in railway derailments, warehouse fires, and reconnaissance activities near military installations.