Merz: We are not at war, but we do not live in peace.

Merz has made that statement after Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has charged Germany with “arisification”.

The statement also comes as cyber attacks and fears flights, suspected Russians, affected Germany and several other European countries last weeks.

“We are not at war, but we don't live in peace anymore”, Merz told entrepreneurs at a summit in Berlin on Friday.

“The threat is real”, he added.

Merzi did not allude to a certain location as an actor after these attacks, but has listed a whole range of hostile acts that cause concern.

“Akte sabotage on daily basis. Trying to paralyse data centres. Cyberattack”, he said.

Lavrov countered Merzi's remarks, saying that “militant rhetoric is growing daily” in Germany.

“His famous expression he has used several times says he pushed forward constitutional changes and that more money could be spent on weapons and development of military infrastructure and military potential”, Lavrov said at the United Nations in New York.

The number of serious airspace violations in Europe has increased significantly this month, including from Russian fighter planes. But not all NATO allies agree on how to respond. Poland is ready to use lethal force. Others say this should be a last resort.

Regardless of who is guilty, European leaders believe Russia is testing NATO. /Periscope.