Germany's Merz condemns 'aggressive Russian conduct' in Poland

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has joined other European leaders in condemning the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, marking a major escalation in the relationship between Moscow and NATO.

"Russia has endangered human lives in a country that is part of NATO and the EU," Merz said in Berlin on Wednesday.

He described the overnight events as a reckless action that was part of a long series of provocations in the Baltic Sea region and on NATO's eastern flank.

"The German government condemns the aggressive Russian conduct in the strongest possible terms," Merz stressed.

He said Warsaw informed NATO allies in the morning about the incursion of armed Russian drones into its airspace.

"It is good that Poland, together with its NATO allies, was able to recognize this danger in good time and eliminate it," Merz said, adding that NATO is and will remain ready to defend itself.