Russia hasn’t yet killed large numbers of Europeans outside Ukraine, but it’s getting closer. The night of 4-5 August, an airport bus driver discovered an armed drone lying near the tarmac of the Leipzig-Halle airport, which is a central hub of Europe’s logistical support to Ukraine’s war effort. A cargo jet, meanwhile, may have struck a second drone shortly after takeoff, forcing an abrupt landing, and investigators found a third drone laden with military explosives nearby.

In 2024, incendiary devices hidden in parcels ignited in DHL cargo at the same airport. Had these detonated in the air, a major air catastrophe and large-scale civilian casualties would have ensued, probably resulting in a broader war.

The most recent incident may be what prompted the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, to get on a plane for Moscow last week. There, according to reports, he warned his counterparts against attacks on Nato territory, urged them to curb support for Iran, argued that escalation in Ukraine would backfire, and pressed for a deal with Ukraine to end the war.

Ratcliffe’s trip is unlikely to have much impact on the Kremlin’s plans for an escalation against Ukraine in the coming months – but it is further evidence of the dangerous and growing enmeshment of the Iran and Ukraine wars.

Sending Ratcliffe to Moscow is a logical choice for the White House, given the substantial role the intelligence services play in Putin’s government and justifiable concern that he may be getting too-rosy assessments of the war from his own team. The attempt at diplomacy is to be applauded. Nevertheless, the........

© The Guardian