Germany would have considered NATO Article 5 after Leipzig airport drone attack if mass casualties had occurred, Merz aides said

Germany would have considered invoking NATO’s Article 5 collective-defense clause if a Russian drone attack on Leipzig airport in August had caused mass casualties, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited aides to Chancellor Merz.

The aides said such a move could have significantly escalated tensions between NATO and Russia and potentially led to a direct confrontation.