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Putin's long-game plan won't work, says Germany's defense minister

Putin's long-game plan won't work, says Germany's defense minister Photo: Boris Pistorius, German Defense Minister (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)

Russian president Vladimir Putin is trying to buy time in the full-scale war, counting on a long-term victory — but he is wrong, says German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius during a meeting of Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Pistorius emphasized that coordinating aid to Ukraine remains critically important today.

He added that Putin continues to push a military agenda and has no interest in genuine negotiations. In the morning, the dictator talks about "peace," and by evening, he launches drones and missiles against Ukraine.

"Putin wants to buy time with this cynical game. He believes his war machine will win in the long run — but he is mistaken," the minister added.

Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, known as the Ramstein format, unites dozens of countries coordinating efforts to help Kyiv counter Russian aggression. The group first convened on April 26, 2022.

Through this platform, a number of crucial decisions have been made to support Ukraine. For example, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have received HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, Patriot air defense systems, Leopard 2 tanks, and more.

As recently reported by Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, an online meeting will take place today, July 21.