National Security Council presents action plan against Russia's attacks

National Security Council presents action plan against Russia's attacks

On November 5, 2025, the Federal Government's National Security Council held its first meeting and decided on important steps to defend against hybrid threats. The focus here is primarily on the aggressive activities from Russia, which are increasingly endangering Germany's security. Schwarzwälder Bote reports that the action plan provides for counter-espionage measures and the protection of critical infrastructure. This includes, in particular, safety and health protection for power plants as well as for water and power lines, but also for gas and oil pipelines.

With this step, the federal government is reacting to the growing number and intensity of such hybrid threats. The Security Council not only addresses the current challenges in the area of ​​hybrid warfare, but also looks at strategic dependencies on critical raw materials. Securing the supply of raw materials by the end of the year will also be addressed in an action plan, which includes, among other things, topics such as circular economy and strengthening domestic mining, as n-tv adds.

The National Security Council and its members

The National Security Council, which emerged from the previous Federal Security Council and the Security Cabinet, is headed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). In addition to the Chancellor, the Council also has permanent members: Ministers for Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior, Justice, Economics, Development and Digitalization and the Head of the Federal Chancellery. If necessary, representatives of the German security authorities and the federal states can also be called in.

According to information from n-tv, the council has the central task of managing crises and developing strategies for threat situations. He can not only make preliminary decisions, but also approve arms exports, which increases the committee's influence on German security policy.

What are hybrid threats?

Hybrid threats are complex challenges that combine different elements. According to the definition by Merriam-Webster, “hybrid” describes something that consists of different elements of origin or combines two different components. In the context of the security situation, this refers to the diverse range of attacks, ranging from military and non-military measures to cyberattacks and disinformation.

The National Security Council's action plan underlines the need to efficiently protect Germany's critical infrastructure and security. With the new body, the federal government is preparing for future challenges and is thereby signaling a strong commitment to defense and precaution against hybrid threats.