Ukraine's foreign minister says Russia is already waging war against Europe, calls for three-step response
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X that Russia is already waging war against Europe, citing incidents including the Leipzig airport drone episode, sabotage at EU defense plants, GPS jamming of aviation signals, drone and missile incursions into NATO airspace, damage to Baltic Sea cables, cyberattacks, disinformation tied to the Ceuta crisis, and recently discovered tunnels from Belarus to the Baltic states. He urged European governments to sharply limit Russian citizens' presence, sever all ties with Russia, and dismantle Russian influence networks.
Key points
- Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X that Russia is already waging war against Europe.
- He cited the drone incident at Leipzig airport, sabotage at EU defense-industry enterprises, secret recruitment of agents, GPS jamming, NATO airspace violations, Baltic cable damage, cyberattacks, Ceuta-linked disinformation, and Belarus-to-Baltic tunnels as examples.
- He drew a parallel between these tactics and the steps that preceded Russia's aggressions against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.
- He proposed three steps: restrict Russian presence in Europe (ban Russian combatants, minimize non-essential visas), sever ties with Russia (trade embargo, tougher sanctions, end all energy projects including nuclear), and dismantle Russian influence networks.
- He said Ukraine is ready to share its experience countering Russian aggression with European governments.
- Danish intelligence said on September 3 that Russia planned sabotage at defense enterprises to halt supplies to Ukraine.
- Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on September 5 that German law enforcement logged more than 165 suspected sabotage incidents since the start of 2026; The Telegraph reported Russia is recruiting gangs for sabotage at European defense firms.
Why it matters
Sybiha recasts a string of apparently separate incidents across Europe — drone incursions, sabotage, GPS jamming, cable damage, cyberattacks, disinformation, and tunnel construction — as parts of a single coordinated Russian strategy, arguing Europe is on the same trajectory Ukraine faced before 2014 and 2022. By bundling concrete policy demands (visa restrictions, an embargo and energy-project terminations, and the dismantling of Russian influence networks) into one public message, he pushes European governments to act decisively. He also positions Ukraine as a ready source of counter-Russian expertise, reinforcing Kyiv's pitch that its war experience is directly relevant to European security.
What happened
On September 5, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X that Russia is already waging war against Europe. He listed a series of incidents as evidence: a drone incident at Leipzig airport, sabotage against defense-industry enterprises in EU countries, secret recruitment of agents, GPS jamming of aviation signals, drone and missile incursions into NATO countries' airspace, damage to underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, cyberattacks, large-scale disinformation campaigns exploiting the crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, and recently discovered underground tunnels running from Belarus to the Baltic states.
Sybiha argued that Russia's aggression against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 had been preceded by similar tactical steps aimed at undermining unity and weakening national resolve. He proposed three steps for European governments: sharply restrict the presence of Russian citizens in Europe (banning Russian combatants from entering the EU and reducing non-essential visa issuance to an absolute minimum); sever ties with Russia, including a trade embargo, tougher sanctions, and termination of all energy projects including in the nuclear sector; and dismantle Russian influence networks in Europe by closing branches of Rossotrudnichestvo and 'Russian Houses,' ending cultural and scientific exchanges, banning Russian propaganda, and exposing networks corrupting political and business elites.
Sybiha framed these steps as potentially the 'last chance' for European governments to protect their citizens, economies, and democratic institutions, and said Ukraine is ready to share its experience countering Russian aggression and is open to cooperation with European governments.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All three supplied sources — Ukrinform, LIGA.net, and LIGA.net LB.ua — are Ukrainian-language outlets and lead with Sybiha's characterization that Russia is already waging war against Europe, presenting his statement as the central news event. Ukrainian coverage foregrounds the list of alleged Russian actions across Europe — Leipzig drones, defense-industry sabotage, GPS jamming, NATO airspace violations, Baltic cable damage, cyberattacks, Ceuta-related disinformation, and Belarus-to-Baltic tunnels — as a connected pattern. The three-step response (restrict Russian presence, sever ties, dismantle influence networks) is highlighted as the actionable takeaway. Context about Danish intelligence findings, German sabotage statistics, and Telegraph reporting is included to support the framing that Russian aggression is already underway in Europe.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on how Sybiha's reference to a disinformation campaign tied to a crisis is described: one fact says the campaign uses 'the crisis in Syria,' while later confirmed facts specify the crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Sources also vary in characterizing the secret recruitment of European security forces: one fact calls the recruits 'marionettes,' while others describe the activity more broadly as recruitment of agents.
Background
Denmark's intelligence service said on September 3 that Russia had planned sabotage at defense enterprises to stop supplies to Ukraine. Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on September 5 that German law enforcement had registered more than 165 incidents possibly tied to sabotage since the beginning of 2026. The Telegraph reported that Russia is recruiting gangs for sabotage at European defense enterprises.