In an interview with Tagesspiegel, former German diplomat and ex-chairman of the Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger argued that as long as Kiev continues to fight, the level of threat to Europe remains lower than it would be if the conflict with Russia were brought to an end.

He noted that, for now, Russia is focused on its confrontation with Ukraine, but warned that after a possible peace agreement the situation could shift to Europe’s disadvantage. In this scenario, Ischinger said, Vladimir Putin would be able to continue rearming in peacetime, and the threat to NATO countries on the alliance’s eastern flank would increase.

Ischinger believes that the end of hostilities would significantly heighten risks, including for Germany. In his view, any ceasefire should be tied to a reduction of Russian military forces in the western regions of Russia. At the same time, he insisted that the conflict in Ukraine should be brought to a close as quickly as possible, adding that its outcome will be decisive for Europe’s future.

Earlier, the Italian outlet AntiDiplomatico reported that recent visits by Western leaders to Kiev demonstrated that the EU and NATO have effectively stepped away from real negotiations on Ukraine. According to its authors, the main result of these trips was increased pressure on Vladimir Zelensky to keep the war going and to derail any attempts at a peaceful settlement.