Decisions taken by Western policymakers more than a decade ago had their own internal logic and rationale; however, in retrospect, Europe could have acted more decisively. Heiko Thoms, Ambassador of Germany to Ukraine, made this statement during the Kyiv Security Forum Special Session on the Global Situation and the Prospects for Peace in Ukraine "12 Years of Russia's War Against Ukraine: What Comes Next?"

"Looking back, we can see occasions when we could have been far more decisive. This relates to the developments of 12 years ago and, to an even greater extent, to the present day. We cannot allow putin to wage this war as he wants," the ambassador said.

He also noted that there has been a noticeable evolution in German and European perceptions of the russian threat. While German society previously lacked a deep understanding of what was happening, the situation has changed dramatically over the past year and a half. This shift concerns not only the war in Ukraine, but also cyberattacks, information operations, and hybrid threats, which are becoming increasingly tangible for Germany itself.

"The Chancellor has already said: we are not at war, but what we are living in cannot be called peace either," Heiko Thoms quoted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

According to him, Germany now understands far more clearly the warnings that had been voiced for years by Poland and the Baltic states regarding the hybrid threat posed by russia. He pointed out that this understanding has formed not only in society, but across the entire political class, regardless of party affiliation.

Heiko Thoms separately addressed the role of Germany and the European Union in supporting Ukraine. He noted that Berlin has consistently advocated for increasing aid and views this not merely as an act of solidarity, but as Germany's own national interest.

"As Germany's ambassador, I fully support the idea of increasing aid to Ukraine. This is also in our interests," he stressed.

At the same time, speaking about Ukraine's European integration, Thoms called for honesty and realism in evaluations. In his opinion, January 1, 2027 as a date for Ukraine's full membership in the European Union appears overly ambitious given the scale of work that still lies ahead.

"Friendship implies honesty. Even issues such as agricultural standards or pesticide regulation actually mean overturning entire sectors of the economy. This takes time, and we are ready to support Ukraine throughout this process," the diplomat emphasised.

Open Ukraine is an international foundation established by Arseniy Yatsenyuk in July 2007 to strengthen Ukraine's authority in the world. The foundation organises the Kyiv Security Forum every year. This leading international discussion platform focuses on issues of war and peace. The foundation also organises the Youth Kyiv Security Forum to develop a new generation of Ukrainian leaders.