German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has warned of potential Russian attacks beyond Ukraine, stating that “it has broader plans.” He sees Georgia, Moldova, and the Baltic states as being under concrete threat.
Before the war broke out, Moscow maintained good relations with Kyiv, faced no threats, and held lucrative supply agreements with various countries, including Germany, Wadephul said on the television channel ntv.
Based on this, the German foreign minister believes that in the future Russia will make territorial claims extending beyond the war against Ukraine. The federal government must operate under the assumption that these could include claims on Georgia, Moldova, and the Baltics.
Germany is already facing Russian hybrid attacks, Wadephul noted: “Consider the drone incidents in Leipzig.” Cyberattacks are also occurring constantly. The foreign minister does not consider this a war yet, but added: “We will not hesitate to call it war if it comes to that.”
Asked specifically what he meant, Wadephul referred to past remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called the collapse of the Soviet Union the greatest catastrophe of the 20th century.
“If that was the greatest catastrophe, then he probably wants to reverse it,” the minister remarked.
Wadephul emphasized that because the Baltic states are members of both the EU and NATO, Berlin would also be directly affected as an ally. Germany would consider itself attacked not only in the event of a strike on German soil, but also if the borders of NATO allies such as Poland, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania were violated, he added.