A 38-minute recording of the talks was posted online late on Friday on Russian social media, with the participants discussing the possible use of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact.
“It is about using this recording to destabilise and unsettle us,” said German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, adding that he “hoped that Putin will not succeed”.
Pistorius said he was not aware of any further leaks at the army and added that he would await the result of a military investigation into the case before drawing any conclusions.
Death toll from Russia strike in Odesa rises to 10 as China envoy tours Moscow
Death toll from Russia strike in Odesa rises to 10 as China envoy tours Moscow
On the front lines, its soldiers are outgunned and outnumbered and ammunition shortages are being felt.
But Scholz on Monday said Germany could not justify matching British and French moves in sending long-range missiles to Ukraine and supporting the weapon system’s deployment.
“This is a very long-range weapon, and what the British and French are doing in terms of targeting and supporting targeting cannot be done in Germany,” Scholz said, without specifying exactly what he meant.
Zelensky calls for more Western air defence systems to ‘save lives’
Zelensky calls for more Western air defence systems to ‘save lives’
Part of the conversation in the leaked recording, however, appeared to call into question Scholz’s explanation on why he could not provide Kyiv with the missiles.
Britain has denied that it had any direct involvement in operating the missiles.
“Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow and its targeting processes are the business of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said in a statement to Agence France-Presse.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of the Security Council, on Sunday said: “Germany is preparing for war with Russia.”
With politicians in Germany urging answers over the wiretap, Pistorius warned that the leak is “part of an information war that Putin is carrying out”.
“We should not fall for Putin’s line,” he said.