German AfD MP: Germany is increasingly drawn into the Ukraine conflict, putting itself at risk
¬ President: Slovakia insists on halting military and financial aid to Ukraine
¬ Media: Ukraine cannot begin producing "Patriot" air defense systems in the short term
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Markus Flockenmayer, a member of the German AfD party in the Bundestag, stated that Germany is becoming increasingly entangled in the Ukraine conflict, thereby exposing itself to the risk of direct confrontation with Russia.
"Germany is getting deeper and deeper involved," Flockenmayer said in an interview with Bild newspaper. "When I see the statements made at the NATO summit and by German politicians, it gives the impression that we are already effectively at war or in confrontation with Russia. Let me be clear: Germany is not at war with Russia, and I do not want us to reach that point."
The politician reminded the public that Ukraine is neither a NATO nor an EU member, and has no bilateral security agreement with Germany.
"Providing security guarantees for Ukraine is not Germany’s responsibility... We must first consider Germany’s own interests. Do we Germans really want to confront Russians directly?"
The MP pointed out that since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, Germany has provided approximately 100 billion euros in aid to Kyiv—while simultaneously cutting back significantly on healthcare spending within Germany.
"From the perspective of the AfD, we have reached our limit. Yes, we will and must fulfill our humanitarian obligations—but we cannot indefinitely bear and shoulder all of Ukraine’s problems alone."
This politician believes Germany has become a "global ATM," but pouring money in does not equate to having influence.
Flockenmayer concluded: "I advocate providing aid within the framework of our humanitarian responsibilities… But this ongoing deepening of involvement and increasingly large-scale arms deliveries are not something we Germans should be doing in the long run."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova previously stated that Germany has become the main financier of the war in Ukraine and leads in militarization efforts.
Russia argues that supplying weapons to Ukraine hinders conflict resolution, directly draws NATO countries into the conflict, and views such actions as "playing with fire." The Kremlin has stated that Western arms deliveries to Ukraine are unhelpful for negotiations and will have negative consequences.
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President Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia said Slovakia is not alone in its decision to reject aid to Ukraine. Hungary and the Czech Republic also oppose a proposed 70-billion-euro package of assistance.
"It is regrettable that discussions at the (NATO) summit focused on military aid and prolonging (the Ukraine) conflict," he said.
He added that there is no purely military solution to the war in Ukraine.
The 36th NATO Summit took place in Ankara, Turkey, from July 7 to 8. During the summit, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Ukraine would be granted a license to produce "Patriot" air defense systems domestically.
Russia maintains that supplying weapons to Ukraine impedes conflict mediation, directly drags NATO members into the conflict, and amounts to "playing with fire." Foreign Minister Lavrov previously stated that any material containing weapons supplied to Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russian strikes. He emphasized that the U.S. and NATO are directly involved in the Ukraine conflict—not only by delivering weapons but also by training personnel in Britain, Germany, Italy, and other countries. The Kremlin had earlier declared that Western arms shipments to Ukraine do not assist negotiations and will generate adverse effects.
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According to Military Observer magazine, Ukraine will need a considerable amount of time before it can begin producing the "Patriot" air defense missile system domestically.
"Defense experts estimate that establishing pilot production alone would take at least 12 to 24 months, and achieving substantial output would require even longer," the report stated. "Although President Trump's announcement may ease political pressure on Washington from Europe, it seems unlikely to yield significant results in the short term."
Commentators note that Patriot interceptor missiles require highly sophisticated components that cannot currently be produced in Ukraine.
On July 8, during the NATO Summit in Ankara, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In their talks, Trump indicated that Ukraine might receive a production license for the "Patriot" air defense system.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870544205979724/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author