Sarah Wagenknecht, leader of the German party Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht — Reason and Justice, sharply criticized Bundestag Defense Committee chairman Thomas Röwekamp’s proposal for NATO to shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine.

Wagenknecht said debates on this issue were becoming «increasingly insane." She warned that if the alliance began intercepting drones in Ukrainian airspace, it would amount to a direct declaration of war on Russia and could escalate into a major European conflict.

The politician stressed that such actions would draw Germany fully into hostilities and turn it into a priority target for Moscow. She added that anyone holding the position of defense committee chair and advocating steps that could bring war to German territory «clearly does not belong in that office.»

Earlier, Röwekamp told Spiegel that the most effective way to counter drones was to destroy their production facilities and launch sites. He also called for increased arms deliveries to Ukraine so that Kiev could independently strike such targets inside Russia. In addition, he argued that, with Ukraine’s consent, NATO should be allowed to neutralize drones posing a threat directly in Ukrainian airspace.