EU and Member States Summon Russian Embassy Over Leipzig Drone Attack
European and Member State Responses to the Leipzig/Halle Airport Incident
Sept 2 (Reuters) - The European Union and several individual member states have summoned Russian embassy officials over an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month, officials said on Wednesday.
Germany's Response and Measures
Germany said on Tuesday it had concluded that Russia was responsible for the incident and ordered a series of measures, including the closure of a consulate and a Russian cultural centre in Berlin. Russia has said it has seen no evidence to support Berlin's accusations and that it will respond.
Diplomatic Summons and Statements
EU foreign chief Kaja Kallas said at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland on Wednesday that the EU's diplomatic service had summoned the Russian ambassador in Brussels over the incident.
Actions by France, Netherlands, and Belgium
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said he had summoned the Russian charge d'affaires in Paris to protest, and that sanctions should be taken at a European level, notably against Russia's shadow fleet.
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the incident in Leipzig was completely unacceptable and that he had summoned the Russian ambassador to the Netherlands.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said on X on Tuesday that he had summoned the Russian ambassador to Belgium.
"This attack comes in addition to a long series of unacceptable incursions on the territory of other EU and NATO Allies in the past months," he said.
Russian Response to Summons
Russia's ambassador to Germany was summoned on Tuesday.
Responding to Germany's announcement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond to what she called Berlin's "anti-Russian action," according to Interfax news agency. She gave no further details.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin had previously dismissed such accusations as "fabricated provocation" and as "a new wave of anti-Russian hysteria in Germany."
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by John Irish, Dominique Vidalon, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Lili Bayer; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Timothy Heritage)
