Ukraine War: Pistorius calls Trump’s agreement with Putin “zero number”

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) criticized the agreement between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin as the “zero number” to suspend the mutual attacks on energy systems for 30 days in the Ukraine War. This does not mean anything because the energy infrastructure in Ukraine is best protected anyway, said Pistorius in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”.

He pointed out that the Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine did not allow Trump’s phone call to Putin. “So Putin plays a game here and I am sure that the American president will not be able to watch long,” said the Minister of Defense. “And I am very sure that there will be a time when he will react to it, will also have to react, also in the sense of the strength and reputation of the United States of America.”

From Pistorius’ point of view, Putin’s conditions for a ceasefire aim to weaken Ukraine so that he could continue to upgrade and pull other troops on the border with Ukraine or in the occupied areas.

After the two presidents’ phone call, the Kremlin had announced that Putin had named a number of demands on the Russian side. It is essential, for example, that the West will no longer deliver any further weapons and intelligence information to Ukraine. However, Trump later explained to Fox News that Putin did not call for the immediate stop of all help for Ukraine. It remained unclear what kind of support he referred to – whether it was about military, financial or humanitarian aid.