German Defence Minister Rejects Putin’s Energy Attack Pause
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday played down the agreement reached by US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to pause strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine for 30 days.
Pistorius told German broadcaster ZDF that the deal – reached during a phone call between the two leaders on Tuesday – was a “flop.”
Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure are continuing, Pistorius noted, after strikes were reported in several areas of Ukraine overnight, including on a hospital.
“Putin is playing a game here,” the defence minister argued. “I am sure that the US president will not be able to stand by for long.”
“I am very sure that there will come a time when he will react, he will have to react, in line with the strength and reputation of the United States of America,” Pistorius added.
He warned that Putin’s conditions for a full, month-long ceasefire are intended to weaken Ukraine, so that Russia can further arm itself and concentrate more troops on the border to Ukraine or in occupied territories.
Following the telephone conversation between the two presidents, the Kremlin said that Putin made a series of demands, including a halt in weapons deliveries and the sharing of intelligence information with Ukraine, ahead of a complete end to the fighting.
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However, Trump later told Fox News that Putin did not insist on an immediate stop to all aid to Ukraine.
While Putin did not sign on to a comprehensive truce, he offered to pause strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days, if Kiev made the same promise as regards to Russian energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was open to the idea but that he needed more details.
