Although Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing for 15 months, Germany’s foreign intelligence service BND sees no signs of weakening of President Vladimir Putin’s regime, BND head Bruno Kahl admitted on Monday.
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Speaking at the Federal Academy for Security Policy in Berlin, he said that the cracks in the system created by Putin are invisible.
Russia still has enough soldiers, weapons and ammunition to continue the war in the long term, the head of the BND said.
When asked when the BND knew that Putin had decided to start a full-scale war in Ukraine, Kahl said it was “about 14 days before the war started”.
“We then noticed signs that could not be interpreted otherwise,” the head of the BND stated.
On the other hand, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed caution about the proposal to supply Ukraine with German “Taurus” cruise missiles.
The minister said he did not want to comment on each weapon system separately and give a hypothetical answer to a hypothetical question.
He said that it has been proven that it is better not to draw red or white lines.
The minister emphasized that Ukraine should be helped significantly and responsibly.
“We must support Ukraine with all the systems permitted under international law that are necessary to win this war and that we are capable of providing,” Pistorius said.
Asked if he sees any danger in the potential supply of F-16s to Ukraine, Pistorius said he does not see any risks of escalation at this time.
Roderich Kieswetter, a defense expert of Germany’s opposition Christian Democrats CDU, has expressed support for the supply of Taurus to Ukraine, stating that Ukraine’s partners must now supply Ukraine with everything that Ukraine can use in war and that is permissible under international law.
Cruise missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers could be a very useful German contribution. Ten years ago, about 600 “Taurus” missiles were purchased for the needs of the German army, of which about 150 are still operational, Kieswetter said.
Military support for Ukraine is one of the main issues discussed at the meeting of defense ministers of the European Union (EU) member states in Brussels on Tuesday.
2023-05-23 12:27:14
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