Secret documents showed Wednesday that Berlin is planning to deploy up to 800,000 NATO troops, including Americans, into Ukraine as Russia’s nuclear threats escalate.
“Operation Deutschland” is a 1,000-page plan to prepare Germany for a potential World War III scenario.
According to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, top-secret documents outline how to defend buildings and infrastructure for military use, as well as how businesses and people should prepare for potential dangers.
They also hinted that Berlin was planning a plan to move 200,000 military vehicles across German soil if the alliance was forced to help Ukraine’s efforts, though additional specifics were kept confidential.
According to the report, Germany has recommended individuals to prepare for the worst by increasing self-sufficiency through mechanisms such as diesel generators and wind turbines.
Putin ‘playing with our fear’
The worry is not limited to Germany. Sweden and Norway have also lately released leaflets and literature teaching citizens on how to prepare in case the Ukraine war spills over into their nations.
The growing fear comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin formally revised the Kremlin’s nuclear strike doctrine on Tuesday, saying that Moscow may now deploy nuclear weapons to counter non-nuclear, “conventional weapons” attacks.
Though Berlin has been chastised for its perceived reluctance to help Ukraine’s struggle since 2022, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned Tuesday that the country would “not be intimidated” by Putin’s nuclear policy change.
“Putin is playing on our fears. He didn’t start doing this 1,000 days ago [when Russia invaded Ukraine], but in 2014 [when Russia grabbed Crimea],” she explained. “Germany, in particular, made the mistake back then, especially politically, of allowing itself to be intimidated by this fear — and above all, not listening to its partners, especially our Eastern European partners, who made it clear at the time that we must not rely on promises from the Kremlin.”
“We must invest in our own security and protection,” she said afterwards.
The policy change follows the US decision to allow Ukraine to launch American-made missiles into Russia, removing Russia’s previously enjoyed “safe space” 190 miles from the Ukrainian border.
That action, as well as Germany’s alleged determination to develop a WWIII strategy, was prompted by Russia’s request for North Korea to commit at least 10,000 troops to help battle Ukraine, with the option of drawing in another 100,000 from the Communist US enemy, according to sources.
Many foreign leaders, analysts, and US officials have stated that the direct deployment of US forces represents the most significant escalation in the conflict since its inception.
Path to Victory
Europe’s preparations come after former and future President Donald Trump repeatedly warned audiences at campaign rallies that the US could be on the verge of World War III, as three of America’s most powerful adversaries — Russia, North Korea, and Iran — are now actively involved in conflicts with US allies.
Some Russia hawks and NATO members have expressed concern that if Trump does not announce a concrete plan for dealing with the Ukraine conflict, he may sympathise with Moscow. However, the president-elect has recently expressed support for Ukraine’s efforts to end the war justly.
For example, in a recent meeting with a “Eastern European president,” Trump indicated that he would not oppose allowing Ukraine to continue firing on Russia once he takes office, according to a source who spoke with The Post on Wednesday.
That policy of directly addressing Russia is a key component of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan,” which he has been presenting to foreign leaders, including Trump, since the fall.
“I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote on X after Trump secured the 2024 election. “I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs.”
“This is precisely the principle that might bring a just peace in Ukraine closer. I’m hoping that we can put it into action together.
Zelensky has continued to sing the president-elect’s praises this week, telling Fox News on Tuesday that he believes the Republican election will result in a faster end to the war since Trump is “stronger” than Putin.
However, the Ukrainian president warned that if the US Congress refuses to provide military help to Ukraine, the country “will lose.”
Still, he expressed optimism in a Sunday interview with Ukrainian state radio Suspilne that, thanks in part to Trump’s election, the war could be resolved diplomatically next year.
“[The war] will end faster with the policy of this team that will now lead the White House,” referring to President-elect Trump’s administration. “This is their approach, their promise to their society, and it is also very important to them.”
