The interview with HKCM is more than a little sensation. Harald Kujat, one of NATO’s former supreme military commanders, speaks candidly. The offensive has failed, Russia’s military is operating accurately and effectively. The losses are enormous – and if you read between the lines, they are also a senseless waste of human life. Peace is always possible, the Russian President has repeatedly offered.
Harald Kujat (81) is a retired German general. D. Air Force. From 2000 to 2002 he was the 13th Inspector General of the Bundeswehr and from 2002 to 2005 Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, NATO’s highest military authority – and thus the military commander in chief. It is difficult to imagine an interviewer whose words would have more authority and weight on this matter. Kujat’s assessment of the situation is in sharp contrast to that of the mainstream media.
In a wide-ranging interview, Harald Kujat, former Inspector General of the Bundeswehr and former Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, criticized current Western policy in dealing with the war in Ukraine. Kujat, who had deep insight into NATO’s military structure as Germany’s highest-ranking soldier and chief of the planning staff of the Federal Defense Ministry, expressed frustration at what he described as a lack of competence and ignorance in German politics. Historical lessons are ignored.
He stressed that the desire to escalate the conflict in Ukraine and the lack of a clear understanding of the dangers of escalation were problematic. Kujat argued that since the last change of government in Germany, politics has been conducted with fanaticism without consideration of the consequences for the Ukrainian population or one’s own country.
Retired general reflects on missed opportunities to prevent war in Ukraine. He cites Russian security concerns that were addressed in a December 2021 list of demands from the United States and NATO and criticizes the Western response to them. Kujat believes that the conflict could have been avoided by seriously discussing these demands and reducing diplomatic tensions.
The former NATO general analyzes the military situation in Ukraine and describes asymmetric warfare between the Ukrainian and Russian armed forces. He highlights the Ukrainian military’s heavy losses and interprets Russia as strategic defensive, aimed at weakening the Ukrainian military rather than capturing territory at all costs. He speculated on possible Russian military objectives, including consolidating its position and capturing Odessa to create a corridor to the Transnistrian region.
Kujat criticizes the portrayal of the conflict in Western media and emphasizes that the reporting often presents a distorted picture of Russia’s willingness to negotiate peace. He clarifies that there have been repeated proposals from the Russian side, which have been rejected by the West.
Finally, Kujat speaks about the current prospects for peace talks and emphasizes that the decision should be made not in Kiev, but in Washington. He sees opportunities to de-escalate the conflict, particularly during murky times in Ukraine, which make military aggression more difficult.
(tagstotranslate)peace
