BERLIN: Germany’s defense minister has alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a long war in Ukraine, western media reported on Wednesday.
Putin in no mood to end war
Boris Pistorius speaking at the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) said there is no indication so far that Moscow was interested in diplomatic talks to end the war.
“I don’t see any signs of this, and it seems to me that he is preparing to be able to fight this war for many, many years,” he added.
Pistorius went on to say that Germany will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine, to help Kyiv to defend its own territory.
He claimed that German weapons systems, such as the Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, have been very efficient and saved many lives in Ukraine.
Read Also: Ukraine Urges Germany to Expedite Decision on Missile Deliveries
However, he did not speak very clearly about facilitating Ukraine’s request for long-range Taurus missiles. The defense minister said no decision has been taken in this regard but he will be backing the stance of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s line on the matter.
He added that decisions on such matters must be taken carefully.
Despite mounting pressure from Ukraine, Scholz has been cautious about providing Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
Since the war started in February 2022, Germany has provided $24 billion in financial support to Ukraine, including $13 billion in military assistance.
