Merz speaks out on security guarantees Ukraine should have
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that Ukraine should receive security guarantees that would effectively be close to NATO membership, according to Deutsche Welle.
During Germany’s government Open Day, Wadephul said that Ukraine cannot be expected to seriously consider territorial concessions if it does not receive at least real security guarantees from as many countries as possible.
According to the official, insisting on such security guarantees could ultimately convince Vladimir Putin as well.
“Then this could become the basis for Europe finally having peace again,” the minister said.
In this context, Wadephul warned that violating a security guarantee would be an attack on Ukraine.
Johann Wadephul emphasized that there should be a broad group of countries providing Ukraine with security guarantees for the post-war period. Therefore, the circle of guarantor countries needs to be expanded, for example, with the involvement of the US.
The German Foreign Minister reminded that around 30 countries, including Japan, have expressed their readiness to support Ukraine.
At the same time, he noted that a peace agreement with Russia should not become a dictatorial peace to the detriment of Ukraine and called on Putin to stop the aggressive war against Ukraine and sit at the negotiating table. If Russia continues its aggression, he stressed, the West will continue to decisively support Ukraine.
Security guarantees for Ukraine
As RBC-Ukraine reported, during a meeting in Washington, the US offered Ukraine an analogue of NATO’s Article 5 as a security guarantee, but without joining the Alliance.
Allies would be able to quickly provide Ukraine with defensive support, economic assistance, and impose sanctions against Russia. However, it remains unclear whether such plans would include sending European troops to Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who headed the working group on creating a security guarantees framework, stated that after the conflict ends, Ukraine has the right to conclude security agreements not only with the US and European countries. He added that the US has similar alliances with South Korea and Japan, and some countries also form similar agreements with each other.
The US plans to take only a minimal role in Ukraine’s security guarantees, so Europe will need to assume the key part of the responsibility.
