German Politician Says US Wants Berlin to Confront Russia While Washington Focuses on China, Iran

Sevim Dagdelen, a foreign policy expert for Germany's BSW party, said the United States wants Germany to confront Russia while Washington's own strategic priorities lie with China and Iran, according to a report by Russian state news agency TASS.

Dagdelen said that "while the United States itself is at times willing to engage in dialogue with Moscow," Berlin is announcing plans to build Europe's strongest army within a few years, according to TASS.

The BSW party, which Dagdelen represents, has previously taken positions critical of German military support for Ukraine and has called for diplomatic engagement with Russia. TASS did not provide additional details on the specific remarks' context or venue in the excerpt reviewed.

TASS is a Russian state-owned news agency, and its reporting on the Ukraine conflict and Western policy toward Russia has frequently emphasized narratives favorable to the Kremlin's positions. Readers should weigh the sourcing accordingly.

The claims attributed to Dagdelen could not be independently verified through additional sources at the time of this report.