Germany faces significant security challenges, according to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who addressed a gathering in Düsseldorf on Monday evening. He characterized the current geopolitical climate as existing “neither in war nor in peace” highlighting a shift in global dynamics.
Chancellor Merz specifically cautioned against the growing threat posed by drone activity. Reports indicate overflights of critical infrastructure in neighboring countries, including Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. The origin of these drones remains uncertain, although speculation points towards Russia. To address this, the government intends to amend the Air Security Law to facilitate potential support from the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) to law enforcement agencies.
Acknowledging the complexities of protecting a densely populated nation, Merz emphasized the difficulty in intercepting drones, particularly those potentially posing a hazard if they were to crash in populated areas like residential gardens, kindergartens, or hospitals. He advocated for preventing drones from entering European airspace in the first place.
Beyond the immediate drone threat, the Chancellor further elaborated on a broader reshaping of global power structures. He noted the observed decline of international law and the established rules-based order, increasingly supplanted by a focus on raw power politics. This trend, he observed, is accompanied by a greater reliance on military means, particularly evident in Russia, potentially latent in China and increasingly present within the United States itself. He concluded that Germany and indeed the world, is navigating a fundamentally altered landscape.