Johann Wadephul said he believes Moscow may have wider ambitions and linked that assessment to Vladimir Putin’s past remarks about the Soviet Union’s collapse.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told broadcaster ntv that, in his assessment, Russian ambitions may extend beyond the war against Ukraine. Before the war, Russia had maintained good relations with Kyiv and favourable supply agreements with Germany and other countries, he said. Wadephul said this led him to believe Moscow may have broader aims.
Explaining his remarks, the minister referred to Putin’s earlier description of the Soviet Union’s collapse as the 20th century’s greatest catastrophe. Wadephul said he believed this could imply a desire by the Russian president to reverse that collapse. He named Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and the Baltic states.
Wadephul argued that violations of NATO allies’ borders, including Poland and the Baltic states, would affect Germany. He also said the country already faced hybrid attacks, citing drone incidents in Leipzig and earlier cyberattacks.
In August, a drone carrying explosives was found among Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle airport. Berlin blamed Russia, which denied involvement. Wadephul spoke after meeting Sergey Lavrov at the United Nations, the first meeting between the foreign ministers since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His remarks were reported by dpa and Agerpres. They are the German minister’s assessment, not independent confirmation of Kremlin plans.