German Chancellor: EU peacekeepers deployment to Ukraine not on the table
Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Getty Images)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the deployment of European troops to Ukraine to perform the function of peacekeepers is currently not relevant. The main task remains achieving a ceasefire from the Russian side, according to Reuters.
Following the meeting of EU country leaders and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit in Albania, the head of the German government noted that future negotiations on peaceful settlement must provide for a clear format and potential security guarantees for Ukraine.
“The next step must be that the format for peace talks is made clear, as well as which security guarantees could possibly, one day, be necessary for Ukraine,” said Merz.
He also emphasized the irrelevance of deploying European military forces to Ukraine.
“There is no reason to talk about (troops) at the moment, we are far from that. We want the weapons to stop, the killing to end ... these are the questions we are dedicated to now, and no others,” the chancellor said.
The agency notes that in this way, Merz’s position regarding peacekeeping forces echoes the position of his predecessor, Olaf Scholz – he also prioritized negotiations on a peace agreement rather than discussion of troop presence on the ground.
Peacekeeping troops in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out the deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine after the end of the active phase of the war. Their number will not exceed several thousand.
Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated London’s readiness to send peacekeepers to Ukraine and called it the only way to achieve peace. He urged the United States to support this agreement and provide security guarantees to European countries.
Read more about whether potential European peacekeeping forces can guarantee security in Ukraine in the article by RBC-Ukraine.
