Friedrich Merz said on the radio that in the event of an energy embargo against Russia, the war in Ukraine would probably continue for several days, possibly several weeks.
Perhaps that was poorly phrased, but Putin's military endurance is measured over much longer periods of time.
The American General Staff expects a war that will last for years.
Merz is not an officer, but one wonders whether the CDU is realistic about the situation in Ukraine.
A relatively quick end to the war would only be likely if a diplomatic agreement were reached.
It doesn't look like that.
In Germany, too, one should be prepared for the fact that the dispute will take longer rather than shorter.
German politics is driven
The Union, which traditionally stands for strong defense, is not only struggling because even the Greens now have upgrades on offer.
The Russia policy of the Merkel years, a Faustian pact with the SPD, puts a strain on her repositioning.
Basically, this applies to almost the entire Bundestag.
It's been a long time since German politics was driven like this: by events and by other countries.
The true leader of the opposition is the Ukrainian ambassador, and he dares to insult the highest representatives of the German state in a completely undiplomatic way.
This is what happens when you close your eyes to reality for years.