Ex-Merkel advisor warns: Delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine would be "path to the Third World War"

Berlin - The former military policy advisor to former Chancellor Angela Merkel (67, CDU), retired Brigadier General Erich Vad (65), has spoken out against the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine. Such deliveries are potentially a "path to the Third World War", Vad told the German Press Agency.

Apart from that, complex weapon systems such as the Leopard main battle tank or the Marder infantry fighting vehicle can only be operated and used properly after years of training, said Vad. They are therefore of no military use to the Ukrainians now and for the foreseeable future.

"We are using a lot of war rhetoric at the moment - out of good ethical intentions," said Vad.

"But as we all know, the road to hell is always paved with good intentions. We have to think about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine from the end. If we don't want a third world war, sooner or later we have to get out of this military escalation logic and start negotiations."

Vad warned against denying Russian President Vladimir Putin (69) his humanity and labeling him a pathological despot with whom we can no longer talk.

As unlawful and terrible as the war in Ukraine is, it is part of a chain of comparable recent wars. "Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan - none of this is that new," said Vad.

The far too many dead civilians and the massacres that are now occurring in the Ukraine war are unfortunately not exceptional either.

"In war, innocent people are killed. That's the nature of war. Unfortunately, it is inherent in the system." Vad recalled the Iraq War of 2003, in which hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed and during the subsequent occupation of the country.

"Compared to that, Putin is not out of line. You have to leave the church in the village here - as shocking as the images are."

When it is said, for example, that the Russians fired on a maternity clinic, the implication is that this was done deliberately. "But it certainly wasn't Putin's intention - why would he do that? He is being pilloried worldwide for it. As terrible as it is, we had this and the acceptance of thousands of dead civilians in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan as well."

The so-called collateral damage in Ukraine has so far been far less than in Iraq or Afghanistan.

It is just as double-edged to accuse Putin of including Ukraine and Crimea in Russia's geopolitical sphere of influence. It is then said that this is an obsolete view of the 19th century.

"But for the Americans, the Monroe Doctrine still applies today, which states that no interventions by foreign powers will be tolerated on the American continent. And the Caribbean is certainly also a sphere of influence, and not just since the Cuban Missile Crisis."

Even if the democratization of the world is to be promoted with good intentions, in fact and in terms of power politics, it is always about expanding spheres of influence.

The security expert and military analyst assumes that Putin has given up on the regime change he originally wanted in Ukraine after largely withdrawing from the Kiev region.

"That's why the chances of negotiations are actually not bad," said Vad. "Both sides could come out of it saving face. The Ukrainians have proven that they have effectively defended their capital Kiev and are also waging a successful defensive battle against a superior opponent.

The Russians, on the other hand, have made some land gains in the east and on the Black Sea coast. These are not the worst conditions for ceasefire and peace negotiations and are better for both sides than allowing themselves to be dragged further into the quagmire of a long war with an uncertain outcome."