German chancellor rejects von der Leyen's remarks on Ukraine troop plans
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sept. 2 dismissed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's comments suggesting Europe had a "clear road map" for deploying troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees, German news agency DPA reported.
The statement comes as von der Leyen told the Financial Times on Aug. 31 that European capitals were preparing "pretty precise plans" for potential deployments in postwar Ukraine.
Merz pushed back, saying there are no such concrete plans, "at least not in Germany," and that any long-term security commitments could only be decided once a ceasefire or peace deal is in place.
The chancellor added that he still has "considerable reservations" about sending German troops and emphasized that such a decision would require parliamentary approval.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius issued similar criticism on Sept. 1, calling it "fundamentally wrong" to discuss deployments before meaningful negotiations begin.
"The European Union has no responsibilities and no competences when it comes to deploying troops — for anyone or for anything," Pistorius said.
The debate comes as European leaders step up talks on binding security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent Russia from launching another war after a ceasefire or a full peace deal.
A European-led "coalition of the willing" has proposed sending a multinational reassurance force to Ukraine alongside commitments of weapons, logistics, and training.
Russia has rejected any deployment of NATO-linked peacekeepers, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling it "foreign military intervention."
French President Emmanuel Macron has emphasized that guarantees would not mean NATO membership but would instead rely on a strong Ukrainian military backed by over 30 allied countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Aug. 19 that Washington could provide air support as part of the guarantees but ruled out deploying U.S. ground troops.
Lucy Pakhnyuk
