May 11, 2024 – Translated from German via Google and OFP
© AFP
Members of the Bundestag from the CDU, FDP and Greens have shown themselves open to plans to protect parts of the airspace over Ukraine from NATO territory with Western air defense. CDU security politician Roderich Kiesewetter told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” that Western countries could shoot down “unmanned Russian missiles” over Ukraine. Politicians from the FDP and the Greens also considered such an operation to be conceivable.
According to the newspaper, the politicians supported a proposal put forward by military expert Nico Lange from the Munich Security Conference, among others. In his opinion, “a safe zone up to 70 kilometers wide could be created” on Ukraine ‘s borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
“That would relieve the burden on the Ukrainian air defense and enable it to protect the front,” said CDU politician Kiesewetter. The example of Israel, where the USA, Great Britain, France and other countries helped repel a large Iranian air attack in April, shows that participating states do not necessarily have to become “a warring party” in such a case.
FDP member of the Bundestag Marcus Faber also said that “the airspace over the Ukrainian border regions” could in principle be “protected by air defense systems on NATO territory.” However, defensive batteries and missiles are now in short supply. Therefore, the necessary ammunition must be secured in the long term. “Under this condition, I think it’s possible.”
The Greens also agreed. The deputy group leader Agnieszka Brugger spoke to the newspaper in favor of the idea of ”stationing air defense systems at the borders of the neighboring states so that the western parts of Ukraine can also be protected.”
Her party colleague Anton Hofreiter, chairman of the European Committee, agreed: “Air defense over Ukraine from Poland and Romania should not be ruled out in the long term,” he told the “FAS”. However, this is currently “not up for debate”. At the moment, the main aim is to deliver “significantly more” weapon systems to Ukraine itself as part of Western arms aid.
Such a measure would indeed be a big help for Ukraine’s already strained air defense systems. But, they must first go to the aquarium to ask their jellyfish for permission, and this is where the problems will begin.
“However, defensive batteries and missiles are now in short supply.”
NATO is not even engaged in warfare and its members have sent only a bare minimum to Ukraine, so what in the hell happened to NATO stockpiles?
Apart from the US, no Nato member has an impressively high number of Patriot batteries and missiles, Mr. Facts. So, there really is a shortage. But that should have been obvious after the first Russian airstrike and there should have been consequences, like an immediate increase of production. Doesn’t look as if anything serious happened in that regard, sadly. ☹
It’s a mystery to me how everyone can be so laid back and almost carefree about this war.
That makes two of us, my friend. And certainly millions more. But the number of ignorants is still higher, sadly. 🤥
I think it sounds like a great idea and it will give Ukraine a buffer zone protected by NATO which will come in handy when building stuff like depots, hangars and MIC plants. Plus giving the ability to move forward the existing defences like those in the L’viv region.
The problem is that this is unlikely to happen, or, if it does, it’ll be a year from now before it’s all set.
They are always trying to think up marshmallow schemes that don’t get their hands dirty.
If every European country entered this war with troops and air power, puker would finally see that the game’s up.
But no, they all keep pissing about and prevaricating as usual.
Of course there shouldn’t be any successful Russian strikes near the Polish and Romanian border, Nato should prevent that, under the righteous argument of safeguarding its territory. A chain of Patriot batteries should be deployed there. I called for that like a year ago in comments at Der Spiegel, but members of Bubdestag think a bit more slowly, it seems. Anyway, better late than never. Shoot down those effing RuSSian drones! ✊😠