As of: January 25, 2024, 2:02 p.m
By: Mark Stoffers
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Germany's former defense minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg warns against Kremlin boss Putin.
Preparing for a Russian attack is a “duty”.
Berlin – Defense Minister Boris Pistorius recently warned of an attack from Russia.
“Our experts expect a period of five to eight years in which this could be possible,” said Pistorius on
ZDF
, quantifying a possible period.
There is already a sense of alarm in Sweden and Norway.
The major NATO exercise “Steadfast Defender” on the border with Russia is now simulating an attack on the alliance.
And the Bundeswehr is also apparently working on a secret document in which a Russian attack determines the scenario.
Now the former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has joined the debate.
In an interview with Bild,
he warns
of Vladimir Putin's unpredictability and comments on the danger of an attack from Russia.
Guttenberg with Ukraine comparison: “Trust Putin as much as you can throw a grand piano”
“Well, with Putin you have to take everything into account and we have often seen in history that at the end of the day he often gives a shit about agreements,” explained Guttenberg, not only in relation to the Ukraine war.
“And that he doesn’t shy away from resorting to unthinkably horrific means,” added the former CSU defense minister.
Former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg warns of an attack from Russia.
“Trust Putin as much as you can throw a grand piano,” explains the former minister.
(Montage) © picture alliance/dpa/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/AP |
Gavriil Grigorov / picture alliance/dpa |
Rolf Vennenbernd
“I trust Putin as much as you can throw a grand piano,” said Guttenberg.
However, there are ways to keep Putin in “a certain degree of loyalty to the contract”.
In his opinion, this is “the clearest, most unmistakable indication possible: ‘One step further and something completely different will blow up in your face’.” But of course that “must also be backed up with credibility.”
However, he fears a “tipping point”, a turning point, particularly on the Ukraine issue.
“I have great concerns about developments in the next few months,” he says.
The unity of the West is becoming more and more “porous”.
“Right and good”: Guttenberg praises Pistorius’ warning of an attack from Russia
That's why Guttenberg advocates dealing with a possible attack from Russia.
Even if, according to him, it is “five or ten percent”.
Pistorius himself also considers this to be rather unlikely.
However, the former defense minister did not recognize any scaremongering in his warnings.
“First of all, I think it is right and good that we are finally thinking in scenarios and not just acting ad hoc for the next day,” he emphasized in the
Bild
podcast “Ronzheimer”.
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According to Guttenberg, the SPD politician wants to “wake society up” with his warning of a Russian attack or his demand that the Bundeswehr must become “war-ready”.
The former CSU hopeful indirectly agreed: It is “our damn duty to actually prepare for it in terms of content, but beyond the content.” After all, the world is now one “where weights can shift dramatically within a nanosecond.”
Major NATO maneuvers on the border with Russia in February
Sweden and Norway in particular fear dramatic shifts due to an attack from Russia.
Norway's army chief made a dramatic appeal to his own population because of Putin's Russia, among other things.
The Bundeswehr is planning a four-stage campaign for the upcoming major NATO maneuver to deter Russia in February.
The maneuver also includes the relocation of Bundeswehr units to Lithuania.
A total of 90,000 soldiers and thousands of tanks are expected to be deployed in the maneuver.