EU nations summon Russian ambassadors en masse as bloc prepares new sanctions over Leipzig drone attack

At least five more European Union member states — Finland, Czechia, Sweden, Portugal and Denmark — have summoned Russian ambassadors in a coordinated diplomatic response to Berlin’s accusation that Moscow orchestrated a failed drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on 4 August.

The moves, announced on 2 September, come a day after Germany directly blamed Russia for the incident, expelled Russian diplomats and ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House cultural centre in Berlin. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas branded the attack “state-sponsored terrorism” and said the bloc is drawing up new sanctions packages, including measures targeting an additional 1,600 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s military sector Source: Al Jazeera.

“Russia’s actions will receive a firm and clear response,” Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs said in a statement cited by Ukrainska Pravda, confirming that the Russian ambassador in Helsinki had been summoned.

Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said Berlin’s findings “are alarming and should be taken seriously,” adding that he planned to discuss the matter with Czech intelligence services and had summoned Russian Ambassador Anna Ponomaryova. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen put the response in explicitly alliance terms: “Germany has stated that Russia is behind the failed hybrid attack in Leipzig. We stand shoulder to shoulder in NATO and the EU. We remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine and in strengthening our collective defence capabilities.”

The 4 August incident involved three drones carrying explosives found in and around Leipzig/Halle Airport, temporarily halting air traffic. Germany’s accusation, made public on 1 September, marks the first time Berlin has directly attributed a hybrid attack on its soil to the Russian state. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied involvement, alleging the evidence was planted.

Kallas, speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers on 2 September, said the bloc was also considering a ban on former Russian military personnel visiting the EU and tightening visa restrictions for Russian tourists. “Attempts to intimidate Europe will fail,” she said. Russia’s representative to the EU was summoned earlier alongside the individual member state summons Source: Al Jazeera.

The diplomatic escalation underscores a broader shift in European capitals toward treating hybrid attacks — sabotage, cyber operations and drone incursions — as direct security challenges requiring collective retaliation rather than bilateral protests. France, Belgium and the Netherlands had already summoned Russian representatives on the same day, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

To date, the EU has sanctioned more than 3,000 Russian officials, oligarchs and companies since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The new round, if approved, would target Russia’s defence industry and military personnel, further tightening the economic pressure without resorting to direct military confrontation.

The Leipzig attack and the diplomatic response come against a backdrop of intensified Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian airfields and infrastructure. On the night of 2-3 September, Moscow’s airports suspended flights for the second night running after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warnings of further attacks Source: Ukrainska Pravda. While not directly linked, the parallel developments highlight how hybrid and drone warfare is reshaping the security landscape on both sides of the border.

It remains unclear which specific new sanctions the EU will finalise, whether additional member states will follow with diplomatic summons, and how Russia will respond. The Kremlin has not yet reacted to the latest round of summons.