Hans-Georg Maassen, who from 2012-18 was president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany’s domestic security agency, has warned that the country is “sleepwalking” into a direct military confrontation with Russia by delivering weapons to Ukraine.
Appearing on TV Berlin’s ‘Special’ program last Wednesday, Maassen said he opposes any delivery of German weapons to Ukraine, citing an earlier decision by the International Court of Justice which, according to the former official, ruled that the supply of weapons to one of the warring parties in a conflict makes the supplier a party to the conflict, too.
“From my point of view, when we deliver weapons, not helmets, not bandages, it means that we are automatically running the risk of becoming a party to a war,” Maassen argued.
We are now a warring party on Ukraine’s side. Let that sink in: We are a warring party. Against Russia.
The former official also said he was terrified by the lack of public discussion on this issue.
According to him, by continuing the weapons deliveries to Ukraine, Germany could become a target for Russian attacks without having any clear objectives of its own, unlike Ukraine itself, or Russia, or the US.
The former intelligence chief went on to argue that, contrary to what the German media says, “Ukraine is not a bastion of human rights, of freedom, peace and Western values.” He also called on the German leadership to consider why they are exposing the country to the “danger of a nuclear conflict.”