Berlin must become a leader in the drone industry, support Ukraine, German Economy Minister says

Germany needs to become a leader in the drone industry to strengthen its own defense capabilities and support Ukraine, Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche told German outlet RND in an interview published Oct. 6.

"Those who want air sovereignty must build it. Germany must become a leading location for the development and production of drones — to support Ukraine, to strengthen our own defense capabilities, and to protect our critical infrastructure. The events of the last few days have made this unmistakably clear — in Ukraine and here in Germany," Reiche said.

Unidentified drones have violated European airspace several times in recent weeks, prompting airport closures throughout the continent. The drone sightings have caused disruptions in several European countries, including Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. As investigations continue, authorities have not ruled out that the drones may be Russian.

In Ukraine, Russia regularly strikes civilian infrastructure as it continues to wage its war. A Russian strike hit a maternity hospital in Sumy on Oct. 6, authorities reported.

"What we need is rapid scaling of production and continuous technological development — ​​especially in the field of artificial intelligence," Reiche said as Europe faces increased airspace violations.

"To achieve this, we must mobilize all available resources, including through new alliances between industry, (small or medium-sized enterprises), startups, and research. Europe's security will also be decided in German factories," she added.

Ukraine has signalled it is ready to help its allies produce drones using its wartime knowledge as Europe increasingly faces signs of hybrid warfare from Russia.

"In the civilian sector, (drones) help monitor and protect our critical infrastructure: airports, ports, pipelines, refineries, (liquefied natural gas) terminals, substations, data centers, and hospitals," Reiche said.

Ukrainian military specialists arrived in Denmark to partake in joint counter-drone exercises following airspace violations by drones, officials said Sept. 29.