Germany calls to stop discussions on deployment of Western troops in Ukraine
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (Getty Images)
Germany rejects the possibility of deploying its troops on Ukrainian territory, calling for an end to discussions on the matter, according to Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Pistorius made the statement during a visit to Helsinki on Friday, March 8.
The minister said that he thinks discussions about the placement of Western troops in Ukraine are ongoing but should be halted.
"No one really wants ground forces in Ukraine, there is a discussion going on right now, so we should stop it at this stage," said the German Defense Minister.
Finland's Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen, whom Pistorius met, also dismissed the possibility of troop deployment. He added that Ukraine's allies should focus elsewhere.
"But everyone supports increasing assistance in the form of weapons, ammunition, and money, and that's what we should focus on now," he said.
Macron's idea of sending troops
French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out NATO deploying troops to assist Ukraine. According to him, the main problem lies in the current lack of consensus on this issue.
Several NATO countries have opposed this idea, including Germany, Czechia, Bulgaria, Poland, Spain, and Italy.
However, there are countries willing to consider such a possibility, such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
France explained that there is no sending of ground troops to Ukraine currently. But Macron allows for such a possibility in the event of a Russian advance on Kyiv or Odesa.
