German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed today the importance of NATO responding calmly and strategically to provocations by Russian drones and combat aircraft entering allied airspace. Speaking in Warsaw, Wadephul underlined that NATO must defend its borders decisively while avoiding escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
“The message to Moscow is clear. As allies, we stand together. NATO will decisively defend our borders. At the same time, we must not allow ourselves to be drawn into escalating the conflict. NATO’s strength also lies in remaining calm,” Wadephul told Gazeta Wyborcza.
Wadephul, attending meetings with the Polish and French foreign ministers as part of the Weimar Triangle and the Warsaw Security Forum, warned Russia to cease provocations and reckless risk-taking that could escalate the conflict. He added that the war in Ukraine will end only when Russian President Vladimir Putin realizes he is in a deadlock, which would pave the way for serious negotiations.
“Security guarantees for Ukraine must be robust, and the Ukrainian army sufficiently equipped, so that in months or years, we are not back at the current level of conflict,” Wadephul emphasized.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski similarly assessed that the war will end only when Putin acknowledges he cannot win. He compared the conflict’s potential trajectory to World War I, explaining that such wars often continue until the aggressor exhausts the necessary resources and admits defeat.
“Wars like this typically last around ten years. They end when the aggressor recognizes they cannot succeed,” Sikorski told CNN.
The ministers of France, Germany, and Poland are participating in the two-day Warsaw Security Forum, focusing on Europe’s response to the Ukraine war amid increasing Russian provocations and risks of escalation.
Among the attendees are German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, US Special Envoy for Ukraine Kit Kellogg, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sibiha, and European Commissioners for Defense and Democracy & Justice.
The forum also released its annual report, titled “Winning the War Without War”, urging Europe and transatlantic partners to more decisively support Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Panel discussions on September 29–30 will also address urgent issues in the Middle East and Gaza.
