As President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming weeks to discuss a possible cease-fire in Ukraine, a senior German general has issued a stark warning: if Moscow is not stopped in Ukraine, European democracy and the rule of law could collapse.
“The only reason for Putin to stop is if he is stopped,” said Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, commander of Germany’s Joint Force Operations Command. “If we want to keep our peace, our freedom, our democracies, and everything we have built since the war, we must act now.”
‘The Stakes Are Fundamental’
General Sollfrank, one of Europe’s most experienced military officers, spoke from his Berlin headquarters last week. A former NATO commander who served in Afghanistan, he now leads Germany’s field operations and is responsible for its deployment readiness.
He said Europe must recognize the war’s existential importance. If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, he warned, the post–World War II order that established law over force will be destroyed.
“If Russia is successful, the achievements of right over might are over,” he said. “Europe must give Ukraine everything it needs to reduce Russian pressure.”
Trump, Putin, and the Uncertain Role of the U.S.
President Trump’s plan to meet Putin again — following their previous encounter in Anchorage — has raised alarm among European officials. Trump has refused to apply pressure on Moscow, even as he publicly insists that he wants “the killing to stop.”
Last week, after speaking with Putin, Trump appeared to backtrack on providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine — a move that disappointed Kyiv and further strained relations with NATO allies.
While General Sollfrank declined to comment on U.S. policy, his remarks reflected growing European anxiety over Washington’s wavering commitment to the war.
Europe’s Struggle to Fund the War
With Trump cutting direct U.S. financial aid to Ukraine and offering instead to sell weapons to European allies, the continent faces a mounting financial dilemma.
Most major European nations — France, Italy, and Spain among them — are already burdened with high debt and limited budget space. Only Germany has the fiscal room to expand military spending meaningfully.
In Brussels, the European Commission is now exploring using €220 billion ($257 billion) in frozen Russian assets as collateral for a massive, interest-free loan to Ukraine. The proposal — championed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — would allocate €140 billion ($163 billion) for defense and reconstruction.
However, the idea faces resistance. Belgium, which holds most of the frozen assets, fears legal liability, while the European Central Bank warns that such measures could undermine the euro’s credibility.
Meanwhile, NATO and European defense ministers estimate that Ukraine will require at least $120 billion in aid next year alone.
A Stalemate on the Front Lines
After months of intense fighting, the war in Ukraine has reached a deadly stalemate. Neither side has made significant territorial gains. Russia’s summer offensive yielded little, while Ukraine struggles with manpower shortages.
Analyst Franz-Stefan Gady, who frequently visits the front lines, described the situation as a “static, grinding war.”
“Neither side is likely to achieve a breakthrough in the next six months,” he said. “Russia lacks the operational capacity to exploit any gaps, and Ukraine lacks manpower.”
Both countries have shifted focus to strategic strikes — Russia targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and Ukraine striking Russian oil refineries and pipelines.
According to the British Ministry of Defense, Russia captured less than 250 square kilometers of territory in September, down from 465 square kilometers in August — a sign of Moscow’s limited momentum.
Europe’s Defense Awakening
Amid the stalemate, European leaders are beginning to accept that a long war is inevitable. Brussels’ new Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030 calls for a “sufficiently strong European defense posture” to deter aggression, predicting that Russia will remain a persistent military threat for the foreseeable future.
The European Union now estimates that $4 trillion will be needed over the next decade to modernize Europe’s defenses.
Chancellor Merz has vowed to build “the largest conventional army in Europe”, expanding Germany’s forces to 260,000 active soldiers and 200,000 trained reservists.
General Sollfrank supports this goal but cautions that it will require cutting bureaucracy, streamlining arms production, and reviving conscription or volunteer service to fill the ranks.
“It’s easy to reduce — we’re very experienced at reducing,” he said with a grim smile. “Building up again is the real challenge.”
‘Peace Is Not Simply There’
Germany’s debate over reintroducing conscription reflects a deeper shift in mindset. After decades of peace, many Europeans have taken stability for granted.
General Sollfrank believes that’s changing.
“When I joined the army in 1986, during the Cold War, we knew exactly what to do and where to defend,” he recalled.
“Now we must learn again that peace is not simply there — we have to work for it.”
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