Germany Again Rejects Establishing "Atlantic Shield" to Protect Ukraine from Strikes

The German government has reiterated its opposition to the idea of creating a defensive shield against Russian air strikes on Western Ukraine from within NATO territory. German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit stated in Berlin yesterday, "From our perspective, this would be direct involvement in this conflict. This is something we do not seek." Hebestreit also referred to remarks made by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on this matter. It is noteworthy that calls for the establishment of a defensive shield have recently increased in Germany and internationally. Hebestreit declined to comment specifically on whether Ukraine had committed to not using weapons systems coming from Germany to launch attacks on targets in Russia, and in what form such a commitment might exist.