A day after Germany blamed Russia for a failed drone attack on cargo planes at Leipzig-Halle airport, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen admitted the continent was not responding quickly enough to the threat. "We have to step up," she said, alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The attack, a key hub for NATO military support for Ukraine, was part of what Western officials describe as the Kremlin's increasingly brazen campaign of hybrid warfare — assassinations, industrial sabotage, and other deniable tactics — aimed at eroding European support for Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion.

Bloomberg Economics analysts identified at least 20 incidents of Russian hybrid warfare in August, the most in a month since October last year and the third highest since the full-scale invasion began. Despite this, the relatively muted reaction from the European Union and NATO highlights why Russia has continued to push, with European leaders divided over how to respond and the transatlantic alliance weakened by US hostility.

The attempted attack on the Leipzig airport saw the discovery of an armed drone near Ukrainian aircraft and a mid-air collision with a cargo plane that could have resulted in fatalities. The EU response consisted of threats of new sanctions, tightened entry requirements for Russians, and Berlin's move to shutter diplomatic and cultural facilities over espionage concerns. "Reactions have been too slow, too reactive, not sufficient," said Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. European and US intelligence officials have warned the attacks are likely to increase, with Moscow hoping to pressure the EU over its support for Ukraine.

The challenge remains for EU and NATO to balance a forceful response that dissuades Russia while avoiding a broader conflict that draws in more countries. As Teija Tiilikainen of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats noted, "We are targeted, we look helpless, and we don't necessarily have the countermeasures because we don't want to have a full-scale war against them."