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How Germany has become Nato’s ‘weak link’ against Putin after ‘Brit troops in Ukraine’ leak & dragging heels over arms
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GERMANY has been dubbed Nato's weakest link after an embarrassing intelligence leak which saw British military secrets splashed across Russian state TV.
Berlin's reluctance to send vital kit to Zelensky's forces along with its "appalling Nato security breach" should see "heads roll", a security analyst has warned.
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Putin's propaganda TV channels broadcast a German air force chief discussing British troops "on the ground" in Ukraine after his private phone call was allegedly intercepted by Russia over the weekend.
Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert from the University of Buckingham, told The Sun that "heads should roll" for Germany's "appalling breach of Nato security".
And he said Berlin needs to "stop being afraid of Putin", stepping up to help deliver Ukraine the kit it needs.
Russia took the opportunity to rage about Nato allies "preparing for war" after the leak - something Putin has previously warned could spark WW3.
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dubbed the leak “very serious” and an investigation is now under way - but the country's reputation has already taken a big hit.
And Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told The Times in a damning statement: "We know Germany is pretty penetrated by Russian intelligence so it just demonstrates they are neither secure nor reliable."
There are both immediate and longer term consequences of this appalling breach of NATO security and German heads should roll for this, hopefully Chancellor Scholz's will be top of the list
Professor Anthony Glees
It's not the first time Germany has faced criticism from its European counterparts on the Ukraine conflict.
From a lack of weapons, to funding, to weak sanctions, Berlin has consistently dragged its heels for two years in sending aid to Zelensky.
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Just days ago Scholz denied Germany's Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine's armies - claiming that it would make his country too active in the war.
And Ukraine's repeated pleas for German Leopard tanks have been met with underwhelming and faulty deliveries.
As a result of Germany's hesitancy, various experts have warned for months that Nato appears weaker and the Russian threat could grow.
Germany's embarrassing security breach
The major leak this weekend saw the head of the Luftwaffe, Ingo Gerhartz, talking about Britain and France delivering Storm Shadows missiles to Ukraine.
Gerhatz, speaking for 40 minutes to air force officers and a general, shared sensitive military information on WebEx - an off-the-shelf video chat platform.
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The intercepted call was then broadcast across Russian state television, reports .
Professor Anthony Glees, a security expert from the University of Buckingham, told The Sun the security link would have "serious consequences" for the "useless German Chancellor Olaf Scholz".
Scholz has become a liability for European security, having blabbed in public about the UK and France actually operating Storm Shadow cruise missiles in Ukraine
Professor Anthony Glees
"This leak in which Luftwaffe head, Lt Gen Ingo Gerhartz, gave away top secret information over an insecure internet line from his Singapore hotel room will have the most serious consequences for him but crucially also for his boss, the useless German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz."
"Scholz has become a liability for European security, having blabbed in public about the UK and France actually operating Storm Shadow cruise missiles in Ukraine.
"NATO military chiefs and defence ministers, including our own Grant Shapps, will now be working 24/7 to attempt to repair the damage and defy Putin more gains from the propaganda coup of this intercepted conversation.
"That Putin wants to discord amongst NATO allies on whom the security of Europe depends goes without saying.
"The German Luftwaffe chief has now given him yet another perfect opportunity.
It all feeds into President Putin and and his regime are very, very smart at using the information domain, and this gives [him] ammunition
Ret. Major General Rupert Jones
"There are both immediate and longer term consequences of this appalling breach of NATO security and German heads should roll for this, hopefully Chancellor Scholz's will be top of the list."
Lord Dannatt, former head of the British army, told Times Radio the German air force officers should be "censured pretty heavily".
And retired Major General Rupert Jones told The Sun that the "concerning" leak "plays right into President Putin's hands".
He said: "It all feeds into President Putin and and his regime are very, very smart at using the information domain, and this gives [him] ammunition."
"It is not good for for the NATO Alliance. It's not good for Germany as as a nation... it doesn't look good when what appears to be a very amateurish mistake gets made."
German aid to Ukraine
Chancellor Scholz has dragged his heels steadily over the past two years in sending aid to Ukraine.
Other countries in Europe have made bids to Germany to send more - but he has dithered.
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Just days ago Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock admitted "Of course, everything (in terms of military support) we are delivering is too little.
"We're racking our brains, especially through the past year, about the issue of how to deliver more, including long-range weapons systems."
Ukraine, who is lacking in sufficient air cover or jet fleets to fend off Russia - has repeatedly asked for Germany's Taurus cruise missiles.
And while Berlin did approve a package of military support for Zelesnky's forces on Thursday, which included some long-range missiles, Taurus was not included.
Prof Glees said this move was a weak attempt at political placation, and even one to "appease Putin".
He said: "Scholz said just a few days ago that Germany could not give any of its stockpile of 600 Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine because they would have to be operated by German forces and that would mean Germany would be directly involved in the conflict.
Germany has to man up, stop being afraid of Putin and realise its defence, like ours, is Ukraine's victory
Professor Anthony Glees
"He said this to placate his left-wing supporters and, above all, to appease Putin."
The German government has expressed concerns that too much help could be seen as direct involvement on their part in the conflict.
And any aid they have sent has been vaguely described in terms money instead of specific indications about the types of weapons or systems.
Ukraine has also pushed Germany for Leopard tanks - which Berlin deliberated over for months.
After eventually agreeing to send around 170 of them to Ukraine in early 2023, many have not been delivered yet.
Ukraine was even forced to return 10 of them because they arrived damaged - and engineers in Kyiv didn't have the means to repair them.
In total Ukraine has given about 18 Leopard II tanks - most of which have now been damaged in battle.
Germany's deputy chancellor also said there would be "no chance" of sending ground troops to Ukraine.
And in a somewhat ironic statement - he told Macron that France should be supplying more weapons.
Robert Habeck told France “do what you can now and give Ukraine the munitions and the tanks that can be supplied now”.
Krzysztof Bledowskim, an prominent economist, said that Germany's reluctance to impose sanctions on Putin and his cronies has also armed Ukraine's efforts to fend them off.
And Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the centre for European reform, said that by not sending more weapons and help - Germany would effectively be siding with Russia.
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Prof Glees told The Sun: "Germany has to man up, stop being afraid of Putin and realise its defence, like ours, is Ukraine's victory.
"Putin wants back all that the Soviet Union had. That includes half of Germany. Germans should not forget that."
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