Boris Pistorius

Bulgaria continues to support Ukraine in line with the decisions of its National Assembly, according to Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov. He made this statement during a meeting of defense ministers in the Contact Group for defense assistance to Ukraine, led by the US, held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

General Carsten Breuer, head of defense in Germany, has proposed that women in the country should also be subject to conscription, according to reports from DPA. Germany abolished conscription in 2011, but provisions still allow for compulsory military service during times of war or heightened tension.

Germany has given its approval for Ukraine to employ German weapons against military targets within Russian territory, as a means of defending itself against Moscow's assaults, particularly in the Kharkiv region. The announcement came from Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is advocating for a partial revival of conscription, citing the pressing need to address the shortage of military personnel within the country. Pistorius emphasized that in the event of a shortfall in volunteer enlistment, there may be a requirement for elements of obligation to bolster recruitment numbers.

Germany has purchased 180,000 artillery shells through the Czech initiative, aimed at securing a total of 800,000 shells from non-European countries, in order to boost Ukraine's defense capabilities.

In a recent survey conducted by the Forza Institute, approximately half of German citizens voiced their support for the reinstatement of compulsory military service, according to a recent report by DPA.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has affirmed that Germany will not supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, as reported by DPA. This decision comes after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock suggested the possibility of giving the missiles to Great Britain, in exchange for London sending Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.

Germany sought Tuesday to downplay an audio leak of senior military personnel discussing the war in Ukraine, blaming individual error and stressing that Berlin still had the trust of allies.

A 38-minute recording of the talks, in which the officers debated the possible use of German-made Taurus missiles by Ukraine, was posted online late Friday on Russian social media.

The Kremlin spokesman told reporters that Russia had taken steps in this regard and invited the German ambassador in Moscow to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RIA Novosti reported.
Peskov also pointed out that the conversation between German officers about the planned strikes on Crimea shows the direct involvement of the West in the conflict in Ukraine.

Armin Papperger, CEO of the renowned German arms company "Rheinmetall," issued a stark warning, asserting that Europe requires a decade to achieve full readiness to defend itself. Citing concerns over depleted weapons depots and the redirection of ammunition to Ukraine, Papperger's remarks echo a growing sense of urgency in the face of evolving geopolitical tensions.