Merz warns of more Russian hybrid attacks, reaffirms Ukraine support

October 1, 2026 at 09:51 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Thursday that Germany faced more hybrid attacks from Russia as he pledged continued support for Ukraine. He spoke at the award of the 2026 Westphalian Peace Prize to NATO in Berlin. The warning came as President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would not attack foreign arms factories but would track them closely.

Key Facts

Merz said Germany is preparing for further hybrid attacks, including serious ones, in a speech marking the award of the 2026 Westphalian Peace Prize to NATO.
German authorities accuse Moscow of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in August.
Putin said on Thursday that Moscow would not attack foreign factories producing weapons for Ukraine but that Russian intelligence services needed to track them closely.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) triumphed in elections in two eastern German states last month, weakening Merz and his conservatives.

Hybrid Attack Warning

Merz said Germany is preparing for further hybrid attacks, including serious ones, during a speech marking the award of the 2026 Westphalian Peace Prize to the NATO alliance. German authorities have warned repeatedly that Russia is conducting a hybrid campaign of drone and cyber attacks. Moscow has rejected the accusations from Western governments and intelligence services. Merz said Germany and its allies could not allow themselves to be divided by hybrid attacks, social media campaigns, or the slogans of the AfD and its Russian backers.

Ukraine Support and Russia Stance

Merz said Ukraine was probably facing its harshest winter since the Russian invasion four years ago and that Germany, as the most powerful state in central Europe, had a particular responsibility to help. He said Germany wanted to re-establish stable, predictable relations with Russia at an appropriate time, adding that there was no sign that Moscow was ready to end the war in Ukraine. Merz stated, "We do not wish to humiliate the Russian people or destabilise the Russian state. But Russia must end the war and refrain from hybrid attacks on Europe." Putin said Moscow was not about to attack foreign factories that produce weapons for Ukraine but that this was something Russian intelligence services needed to track closely.

Domestic Political Pressure

Merz and his conservatives have been badly weakened by elections in two eastern German states last month in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) triumphed. The AfD has criticised Germany and its Western allies for supporting Ukraine with billions of euros in military aid. The party wants to repair ties with Moscow and restore the flow of cheap oil and gas cut off since 2022.