The UK also reacted with dismay to the revelation, in which officials discussed how the British and French delivered cruise missiles to Ukraine, with Gräfe apparently saying: “If we are asked about the delivery methods. I know how the British do it. Always transport them in Ridgeback armored vehicles. They have several people on the ground.
This came after Scholz publicly confirmed that British troops were on the ground in Ukraine helping Ukrainian forces deploy Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
On Tuesday, Pistorius said he had spoken to allies to reassure them. “The trust of the allies in Germany is unbroken,” he said in Berlin.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin is celebrating.
Top Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for a full investigation into the recording and said the German ambassador to Russia had been summoned to explain apparent plans to attack Russia.
“We still have to find out whether the Bundeswehr is doing this on its own initiative. If so, the question arises to what extent the Bundeswehr can be controlled and to what extent Mr. Scholz controls everything and whether it is part of the German government's politics,” Peskov said, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.
Antoaneta Roussi contributed reporting.
This article has been updated.