German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that his country no longer lives in peace.
Merz made this declaration after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Germany of “renazification.”
The statement also comes as cyberattacks and suspected Russian drone flights have recently affected Germany and several other European countries.
“We are not at war, but we are no longer living in peace,” Merz told entrepreneurs at a summit in Berlin on Friday.
“The threat is real,” he added.
Merz did not point to a specific country as the actor behind these attacks but listed a range of hostile actions that raise serious concern.
“Acts of sabotage on a daily basis. Attempts to paralyze data centers. Cyberattacks,” he said.
Lavrov responded to Merz’s remarks, saying that “militaristic rhetoric is growing every day” in Germany.
“His famous expression, which he has used several times, is that he pushed forward constitutional changes so that more money could be spent on weapons, the development of military infrastructure, and military potential,” Lavrov said at the United Nations in New York.
The number of serious airspace violations in Europe has increased significantly this month, including by Russian fighter jets. However, not all NATO allies agree on how to respond. Poland is ready to use lethal force, while others argue this should only be a last resort.
Regardless of who is responsible, European leaders believe Russia is testing NATO’s resolve.
