The German government maintains its stance against the proposal of deploying a defensive barrier from NATO territory to safeguard against Russian airstrikes in western Ukraine, as reiterated by a senior spokesperson on Monday.
According to government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin, “From our point of view, that would be an involvement, a direct involvement in this conflict. And that's not what we're after."
Hebestreit was echoing statements by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in line with their views.
While there have been calls on NATO powers to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses by establishing a protective shield over Ukraine, Hebestreit declined to comment directly whether Ukraine had given any guarantees concerning the use of weapons systems provided by Germany to avoid attacks on targets in Russia.
Hebestreit said that such agreements were confidential, which was why they were working well. He also mentioned that international law allows a state under attack the right to self-defense beyond its borders if need be.
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