As former President Trump gears up for another meeting with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, hoping to broker a Ukraine cease-fire that Moscow has consistently rejected, a high-ranking German general delivered a powerful message: unless Russia is stopped in Ukraine, the very foundations of democracy and rule of law across Europe are in grave danger.
“The only reason for Putin to stop is if he is stopped,” declared Lt. Gen. Alexander Sollfrank, emphasizing that such a halt requires relentless pressure. He underscored the fundamental importance of the conflict in Ukraine, stating, “if we want to keep our peace and our freedom, and we want to keep our political systems, our democracies, our pluralism, federal structures and everything that we have.”
General Sollfrank, who commands the German Army’s operational forces, highlighted Germany’s role as Ukraine’s primary European supporter. With previous experience at NATO and a combat tour in Afghanistan leading a rapid-reaction force, he shared his insights during a recent interview at his Berlin headquarters.
While Mr. Trump attempts to negotiate a cease-fire—one Russia seems unwilling to accept without substantial territorial concessions from Ukraine—General Sollfrank warned that the hard-won achievements of the post-World War II era are imperiled should Russia succeed in Ukraine.
He noted that the period since the war’s end has been marked by the triumph of law over raw power throughout Germany and broader Central and Eastern Europe. “If Russia is successful, then these achievements of law, of right over might, are over,” he asserted. He reiterated his call for unwavering assistance: “We should support Ukraine with everything they need, with everything they require to reduce the Russian pressure.”
Operating as a nonpolitical military figure, General Sollfrank refrained from speculating on how Mr. Trump might influence the situation or the potential impact of American Tomahawk cruise missiles. Notably, after a conversation with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump appeared to backpedal on the idea of supplying these missiles during a subsequent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr. Trump’s consistent reluctance to personally pressure Mr. Putin has been a defining feature of his presidency, even as he expresses a desire for an end to the conflict.
For European nations, the challenge lies in their open-ended commitment to Ukraine without a clear, independent strategy to conclude the war, especially in the absence of robust American pressure on Russia. The general pointed out that Russia is actively “rebuilding and reconstituting their land forces, even while attacking Ukraine, and they are also learning consistently.”
On the ground in Ukraine, the front lines remain largely static, marked by a brutal stalemate. This war of attrition involves heavy artillery fire and increasingly sophisticated drone warfare, with neither side achieving significant territorial gains. Russia’s summer offensive, for instance, yielded minimal progress. Both combatants are now focusing on long-range attacks against civilian infrastructure: Russia targeting Ukraine’s energy and heating facilities, and Ukraine striking Russian refineries and pipelines.
“War, of course, is highly contingent, but the front line remains pretty static,” observed Franz-Stefan Gady, a military analyst who frequently visits Ukraine’s front lines. He predicted, “Neither the Russian nor Ukrainian forces are likely to achieve a breakthrough in the next six months. The Russians lack the operational capability to take advantage of any breaks in the line, and the Ukrainian side lacks manpower.”
Both sides are engaged in a grueling effort to exhaust the other. “The current trajectory is bad for Ukraine, but not catastrophic,” Mr. Gady concluded.
According to the British Ministry of Defense, Russia’s territorial gains in Ukraine last month were significantly less than in August, capturing approximately 250 square kilometers (96.5 square miles) compared to 465 square kilometers, as reported last Thursday.
With Mr. Trump no longer offering direct financial aid but instead suggesting Europeans purchase American arms for Kyiv, European nations are now desperately seeking funds.
Beyond Germany, most major European countries are grappling with high national debt, leaving little budgetary room for additional spending on Ukraine, outside of their new NATO defense requirements. France, for example, is struggling to pass its own budget.
In response, the European Commission in Brussels is exploring legal avenues to utilize the 220 billion euros ($257 billion) in frozen Russian assets held in Europe. The aim is to use these assets as collateral for an interest-free loan to Ukraine, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany proposing €140 billion ($163 billion) specifically for defense.
This proposed loan would initially be guaranteed by EU member states and subsequently backed by EU budget funds from the post-2028 long-term budget cycle. The money would serve a dual purpose: purchasing weapons from both Europe and the United States, and investing in Ukraine’s rapidly expanding domestic arms industry.
However, this initiative faces opposition from Belgium, which holds the majority of the frozen assets and is concerned about potential legal liabilities, as well as from the European Central Bank, which fears adverse effects on the euro.
During a recent meeting of NATO and European defense ministers, it was estimated that Ukraine would require approximately $120 billion for the upcoming year alone.
Last week, the European Commission unveiled a somewhat abstract “Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030.” This document asserts that by 2030, “Europe needs a sufficiently strong European defense posture to credibly deter its adversaries, as well as respond to any aggressions.” It specifically highlights that “a militarized Russia poses a persistent threat to European security for the foreseeable future.”
Brussels projects that approximately $4 trillion will need to be invested in defense over the next decade.
Chancellor Merz has declared his intention to build “the largest conventional army in Europe”—a monumental undertaking that extends far beyond simply increasing troop numbers.
General Sollfrank stated that Germany’s objective is to achieve full “kriegstüchtig,” or “war capable,” status by 2029. He identified the key challenges for Germany as expanding its armed forces from the current 182,000 to 260,000 personnel, along with an additional 200,000 trained reservists; fostering stronger and faster collaboration between technology sectors and the military industry; and streamlining the bureaucratic processes for acquiring modern equipment.
“It’s easy to reduce, we’re very experienced at reducing,” he remarked with a wry smile. Building up to the necessary capacity, he concluded, “is a huge task.”
The issue of personnel is critical. The German government is currently debating a new form of conscription, prioritizing voluntary service before resorting to mandatory enlistment if necessary. Yet, General Sollfrank expressed confidence that a new generation of young Germans, galvanized by the invasion of Ukraine, comprehends that Russia poses a clear and present danger that demands deterrence.
Recalling his entry into the army in 1986 during the Cold War as an armored infantry platoon commander, General Sollfrank noted, “we knew exactly where to defend and what to do.”
“Now we have to learn again that peace is not something which is simply there,” he said. “You have to work for peace.”