"We need to show Putin that we will last longer": German general assured that the West will support Ukraine for decades

If at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion the West was going to provide Ukraine with temporary support, now our country's partners are planning for a long-term perspective. Military support for Ukraine will continue not only until the end of the decade, but also beyond, because "the fight for freedom has no expiration date."

Currently, one of the key tasks facing the West is to make Russian President Vladimir Putin understand that democratic countries can last longer than authoritarian Russia and to make time an ally for Kyiv, not Moscow. This was stated by Major General Christian Freuding, Head of the Special Staff for Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defense, in an interview with the Stuttgarter Zeitung.

Speaking about military assistance to Ukraine, the German general emphasized that the West has moved from intentions of temporary support to a "long game."

"Together with Ukraine and our partners, we are talking about what the future Armed Forces of Ukraine should look like. One thing is clear: military support for Ukraine is a task for the rest of the decade and beyond. Our budget planning already includes funds until 2032, which shows our determination. We must help Ukraine develop its capabilities so that it can remain a free state, able to defend itself and deter attackers. For me, the fight for freedom has no expiration date," Freuding emphasized.

According to the official, it is important to convey to the Russians the understanding that they will not be able to win the war against Ukraine. However, since Moscow still refuses to understand this, the West must make sure that "time is not Putin's ally, but our ally" and "make it clear to Putin: we will hold out longer, freedom will win."

And Germany, Freuding noted, is doing everything to realize these tasks and help Ukraine to withstand and ultimately win.

"Over the past few months, we have put together several powerful support packages. These days we are delivering the third unit of Iris-T surface-to-air missile systems, and soon the second Patriot firearm. We also have winter clothing and equipment for Ukrainian soldiers, especially in view of the upcoming winter months. Overall, we focus our support on very specific areas: Air defense, artillery, engineering, armored vehicles, special equipment. We continue on this path," said the head of the Special Staff for Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defense.

When the journalist asked how many German weapons and equipment had already been lost on the battlefield, Freuding refused to give specific figures. He emphasized that losses are inevitable during a war. However, high-quality training of soldiers allows minimizing them.

"We are trying to minimize losses by training Ukrainians as best we can. The Bundeswehr, together with our partners, has already trained more than 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers in Germany. The feedback we receive is always very grateful. It is the same with the material: if you ask the Ukrainian military what they would like more of, they first of all mention German weapons systems such as Leopard 2 and Panzerhaubitze 2000," Freuding added.

As a reminder, Germany recently handed over a new military aid package to Ukraine. Its contents became known on November 2. The package includes unnamed armored personnel carriers, surface drones, Primoco ONE reconnaissance UAVs, tank tractors, winter clothing, and much more.

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