Germany’s opposition Greens urge more support for Ukraine

The head of Germany’s opposition Greens has urged the government to provide Ukraine with increased air defences in the face of increased Russian attacks.

In remarks to dpa on Sunday, Franziska Brantner said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not want peace – he wants subjugation.”

She accused Putin of war crimes for attacks on energy and heating systems that targeted families, the elderly and children in winter.

Attacks on Ukrainian civil infrastructure are calculated and not collateral damage, Brantner argues.

Kiev has a right to call for additional support in air defences, and the German government should look with its European partners into how more could be provided, she said.

Brantner called for Germany to supply its Taurus cruise missile, with a range of more than 500 kilometres, as “an important signal of political support” for Ukraine.

When in opposition, Chancellor Friedrich Merz backed supplying the weapons, but has held back from openly doing so since taking office in May last year.

Brantner also backed action on the Russian fleet of shadow tankers and for a renewed attempt to free up Russian assets frozen in EU banks.

Ukraine and Russia held face-to-face talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday for the first time in months. Both sides expressed satisfaction, with further negotiations set to take place next week.