Germany is preparing for war, the commander announced: We have no alternative

"We have five to eight years. During that period, we have to create a missile defense. There is no alternative," Breuer told the Funke media group's papers on Friday.

"We see that in five to eight years Russia will be capable of waging war against NATO countries. Until then, we in Germany must be able to repel such an attack," Breuer pointed out, adding that a solution within NATO is necessary.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has no secrets about his intentions towards the West, said the Bundeswehr Chief of Staff.

"This does not mean that such an attack must be realized in five to eight years. But it is possible. As a soldier, I have to be prepared for the worst case scenario, and that means that we must be able to defend ourselves in five years", Breuer stated.

The attack, according to his words, can be comprehensive, from cyberspace, through drones to rocket fire. Breuer opposed the idea of freezing the war in Ukraine, which was presented by a prominent Social Democrat politician, Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"Freezing the war requires that both sides accept it. There is almost no frozen conflict in the world that has not flared up again. The current military situation in Ukraine indicates that freezing the war seems neither possible nor desirable," Breuer explained.

To strengthen the Bundeswehr, the government quickly established a special fund worth 100 billion euros after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Breuer says that 80 percent of the funds have been committed, but that not everything that is ordered is immediately available.

"We're going through the sieve right now. The material is mostly ordered, but it's not yet reaching the hull as much as I'd like."

For Breuer, 100 billion euros is only "initial financing". The defense budget must permanently remain at the level of two percent of GDP, Breuer concluded. This is the share that NATO also demands from its member states.