German general: Russia may become even more dangerous after the war
27 June 2025 19:49
Russia will not emerge from the war in Ukraine weakened, but, on the contrary, potentially even stronger and more dangerous. Lieutenant General Alfons Meis, the inspector of the German Army, said this in a commentary for BILD, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“I am firmly convinced that the Russian armed forces will become stronger after this war,” Meis said.
He emphasized that the number of losses is not a deterrent for the Kremlin, as Russia mobilizes about 200,000 conscripts annually, and the army has already grown to 1.5 million people. This is evidence of a long-term strategy to prepare for a conflict with the West, the general believes.
Mays’s assessment was supported by former U.S. Army Europe Commander Ben Hodges, who called on NATO to bet on Ukraine’s victory. If this does not happen, Russia will be able to rebuild its army in a few years and even mobilize Ukrainians into its army, he warned.
Against this background, German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadefull expressed hope that the new EU sanctions would significantly weaken Russia’s economy. At the same time, General Mays warned that Russian media are already talking about strikes on Paris, Berlin and Lisbon, and the West should take these threats seriously.
Earlier, at the Hague summit,NATO agreed to increase aid to Ukraine to 35 billion euros and increase member states’ defense budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035.
According to German military advisers, the threat of a full-scale Russian attack could arise by 2029. And EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned of the growing danger of cyberattacks, sabotage and airspace violations by Russia.
