BERLIN

Russia’s war on Ukraine is nothing less than a "declaration of war" against the Western democratic world, local media quoted the head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency on Monday.


The war is not primarily about Ukraine’s territory, the dpa news agency quoted BND chief Bruno Kahl as saying before a parliamentary group overseeing the activities of German secret services.


The BND has always argued that Putin will continue to use violence to achieve his political goals, Kahl said, adding that the Russian war against Ukraine, therefore, came as no surprise to the foreign intelligence service.


Both Russia and Ukraine continue to seek a military decision on the battlefield and therefore Kahl said he expects the fighting to continue into next year.

Other threats, Kahli said, also include "an autocratic China that is rising to become a global power.”


Russia’s war against Ukraine has rattled Germany's political establishment. The German press has also branded it as a “9/11 moment" with surveys showing a major shift in public attitudes.


Reacting to the Russian military attack, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced plans to immediately rebuild its military, delivering arms to Ukraine, and ending its energy dependence on Russia.

Scholz overturned not only decades of Russian policy but also German restraint and pacifism when it comes to security and defense.