German MPs propose that NATO intercept drones over Ukraine

The members of the German Parliament from the Greens and Free Democrats parties, as well as the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, are in favour of deploying NATO countries’ air defence systems to protect Ukraine’s western regions.

Source: German MPs in a comment for FAZ, a German media outlet, as reported by DW and European Pravda

Details: Agnieszka Brugger from the Greens party, said she believes it would be best to "deploy air defence systems on the borders of countries [that border Ukraine] so that they could also protect Ukraine’s western regions."

Anton Hofreiter, also from the Greens, said that the possibility that Ukraine’s airspace will be protected by systems located "on the territory of Poland and Romania should not be ruled out in the long run".

Meanwhile, Free Democrats’ Marcus Faber said that the number of air defence systems and missiles is already limited, which is why he believes it is important to ensure there are enough of them in the long term.

"Under those circumstances, I think it would be possible [to deploy Western air defence systems to protect the sky over Ukraine]," he said.

Roderich Kiesewetter of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party also spoke in favour of NATO forces shooting down Russian drones over Ukraine.

"This will ease the burden on the Ukrainian air defence and allow it to protect the front," Kiesewetter said.

He mentioned the example of Israel, which in April was assisted by the US, France and the UK to repel an aerial attack by Iran and its proxies.

Kiesewetter said this showed that countries that provide assistance under such circumstances do not automatically become parties to the conflict.

FAZ reported that the idea to shoot down Russian drones over the west of Ukraine with NATO air defence systems based in Romania and Poland was first put forward by Nico Lange, an expert at the Munich Security Conference, and Lieutenant General Horst-Heinrich Braus, former Assistant Secretary General of the Alliance.

Background:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he did not understand why Ukraine’s NATO allies could intercept Iranian missiles and drones over Israel but could not do the same in Ukraine for fear of drawing NATO into the war with Russia.
• The White House has said that the US had no plans to take part in hostilities in Ukraine, which is why it will not shoot down Russian drones supplied by Iran in the skies over Ukraine the way they intercepted Iranian drones over Israel.
• UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron also said that the UK will not help Ukraine shoot down Russian drones despite having helped Israel intercept Iranian drones. He said deploying NATO forces in this way might lead to an "escalation in terms of a wider European war".

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