Agency Report –
The German government is developing a comprehensive action plan to defend against hybrid threats from Russia, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday.
The country’s newly formed National Security Council is to discuss the plan at its constituent meeting in the coming days.
In a speech to lawmakers in the Bundestag – Germany’s lower house of parliament – ahead of the European Council summit next week in Brussels, Merz accused Russia of wanting to destabilize Germany and Europe.
Moscow’s tactics include sabotage, espionage and murder, cyberattacks and targeted disinformation, “including from your ranks,” Merz said to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The chancellor said Germany will “support Ukraine’s defensive struggle for as long as necessary.”
The upcoming meeting in Brussels is to include discussions on how to further increase the pressure on Russia to enter into peace negotiations with Ukraine, Merz said, in addition to the 19th sanctions package that is being negotiated.
He again proposed using the frozen assets of the Russian central bank to grant Ukraine a total of €140 billion ($163 billion) in interest-free loans.
These additional funds would be used exclusively to finance military equipment, while Ukraine would only repay the loans once Russia has paid reparations.
The proposal has faced opposition from other EU countries, including Belgium, where the Russian funds are held.
