Germany hoped Ukraine would 'lose the war quickly,' claims Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson, the former British prime minister, has revealed what he described as an "explosive" statement from a senior German official before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to Johnson, this official suggested that Germany believed Ukraine would lose the war and that a swift defeat would be preferable. This assertion comes as Johnson levels broader criticism against the policies of Germany and France toward Russia in the years following Crimea's annexation in 2014.

Johnson contends that Western leaders, including those in Berlin and Paris, underestimated both the Kremlin's intentions and Ukraine's capacity to withstand a large-scale military assault. He characterized their approach as akin to "family psychologists" analyzing a brutal attack as a mere "family scandal."

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They were acting like family psychologists, analyzing the brutal attack of one country on another as a family scandal.

The former prime minister used this alleged German statement to illustrate what he views as a significant misjudgment of Europe's security situation. He argued that Berlin and Paris's approach contributed to a misunderstanding of the Kremlin's ambitions in the years after 2014. While some European nations favored dialogue and economic ties with Russia, Johnson advocated for a firmer stance against Moscow.

Johnson stated that he repeatedly argued before the February 2022 invasion that Russia must be confronted and prevented from achieving its military objectives in Ukraine. His account highlights the differing approaches among key Western nations, with London issuing warnings about Russian aggression and urging stronger measures, while Berlin and Paris prioritized diplomacy and negotiated solutions.

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We must confront Russia and prevent Moscow from achieving its military objectives in Ukraine.