Berlin was not informed about Kiev’s offensive beforehand, the German chancellor has stated.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters that the Ukrainian government did not consult with Germany before launching its incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region.
Several thousand Ukrainian troops crossed the Russian border earlier this month, in a move that Moscow has labeled “an act of terrorism.” Russia has responded with intense air and artillery strikes against the invaders.
“Ukraine prepared its military operation in Kursk Region very secretly and without any feedback, which is certainly due to the situation,” Scholz said at a press conference in Moldova.
Scholz declined to say whether Germany has allowed Ukraine to use its donated weapons in the cross-border incursion, stating only that Berlin was “closely monitoring” the situation.
“This is a very limited operation in terms of space and probably also time,” Scholz added. “But at this point in time, we should not comment on it further. We can certainly evaluate everything when enough time has passed.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky told reporters that Kiev concealed the preparations for its Kursk offensive because its Western backers might have tried to stop it as crossing Russia’s “red lines.” He argued that the incursion has proven that such lines do not actually exist and urged the US and its allies to provide more money and weapons to Kiev.
Russia has demanded the US envoy to explain the alleged role of American contractors in the Ukrainian incursion, as well as an American journalist, whom Moscow accused of providing “propaganda coverage” for Kiev. On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said that the US, Britain and Poland had helped to train the Ukrainian units involved in the ongoing operation.
Scholz also addressed German media reports over the weekend that Berlin would stop funding Kiev, vowing to continue backing Ukraine’s war effort.
“We will support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary. And we will be Ukraine’s biggest national supporter in Europe. Only the US does more as a major world power,” he said.