Merz emphasizes need for 'strong presence' on NATO’s eastern flank

The German government has assured Romania of its solidarity following the crash of a Russian drone on its territory, reported dpa.

The drone crash demonstrates once again Russia’s willingness to escalate tensions, Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on the social media platform X on Friday.

Germany stands shoulder to shoulder with its NATO allies, he wrote: "The incident shows once again: We need a strong NATO presence on the eastern flank.

"We are ready to defend the alliance’s territory."

A Russian drone struck a high-rise building in the Romanian city of Galați, near the border with Ukraine overnight.

The impact triggered a fire on the 10th floor of the block of flats. Two people with minor injuries were treated at the scene, according to the Ministry of the Interior of the EU and NATO member state.

Germany's Ministry of Defence stated that this represented "no change in the situation."

NATO is a defensive alliance which stands ready to defend the alliance’s territory, said a spokesman in Berlin.

"Russia's reckless behavior continues to threaten our collective security," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul posted on X. "Our response is unity. We stand with [Romania]. Our thoughts are with those injured in tonight's drone crash."