According to Economy Minister Robert Habeck, Russia is heading for a military defeat in the war against Ukraine. “Nobody would have ever thought that the year 2022 would end like this,” the Green politician told the German news agency in Berlin. “Putin is losing this war on the battlefield,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is because the Ukrainian army obtains weapons from Europe, NATO countries and the United States and uses these weapons “skillfully and strategically, skillfully and heroically.”
“I am in favor of Germany, together with the allies, supporting Ukraine so that it can win this war,” said Habeck, who had supported the supply of weapons to the country even before the aggressive war began. Russia against Ukraine. “There will certainly always be new systems and additional support, but they always need to be discussed with allies.” We have come a long way, the next steps will certainly enable further successes for Ukraine.
The United States wants to hand over Patriot
The United States has announced it will also supply Ukraine with the Patriot air defense system, which is expected to complicate Russia’s missile and drone strikes on civilian infrastructure. The Bundeswehr also has these defensive weapons and only recently assured Poland that three systems would be deployed. However, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit has already clarified that no one is now available for Ukraine.
When asked whether Germany should also supply patriots to Ukraine, Habeck replied: “It is good that the United States is supplying patriots. For Germany, we have been supporting Ukraine with heavy weapons for months and we will continue to do so.”
German deliveries
The Federal Republic has increasingly expanded its aid in recent months, and that has proven to be the right thing to do, Habeck said. For example, Germany delivered the Panzerhaubitze 2000, supplied Gepard tanks and supported Ukraine in air defense with the Iris-T system. “The decision is that we will continue to expand the Iris-T systems that we have supplied, that we will produce ammunition for the cheetahs and that we will supply additional Iris-T systems.”
However, delivering more Iris-T devices would take time because they would be relatively complex to produce, Habeck said. “It’s not mass-produced.” But Germany has promised this to Ukraine. “We will continue to deliver, we will definitely adjust the support again and again and check what we can still make possible, in cooperation with our partners.”
When asked what he would consider a victory for Ukraine, Habeck replied: “It would be remiss and presumptuous, almost cynical, for Germany, Europe and the Western world to tell Ukraine when it will be successful enough.” However, he referred to statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke of victory once Ukraine restores its territorial integrity. “The basic desire of Ukrainians is to live in peace. They were brutally attacked and are now fighting to regain peace. We support them in this”.
