Germany may consider sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, defense minister says
Germany may consider deploying its troops in a peacekeeping mission to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on January 18.
The idea of sending a European peacekeeping force to Ukraine has gained traction in recent months as EU countries prepare to play a greater role in Kyiv's defense once U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
When asked if Germany was prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire agreement, Pistorius indicated that Berlin was open to the idea.
"We're the largest NATO partner in Europe. We'll obviously have a role to play," Pistorius said in an interview with the German media outlet Suddeutsche Zeitung.
The matter will "be discussed in due time," Pistorius said.
The U.K. and France are reportedly already discussing the possibility of deploying French and British troops to monitor a ceasefire along the front line in Ukraine. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Jan. 16 that he had discussed the option with President Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting in Kyiv.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who first floated the idea of European troops in Ukraine, has also been in talks with Zelensky regarding future peacekeepers.
Zelensky has previously said that Ukraine would only consider foreign peacekeepers if it secures a clear timeline for NATO membership.
Other German politicians have also commented on the issue of deploying Bundeswehr troops to Ukraine. Roderich Kiesewetter, a lawmaker from the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said on Jan. 3 that Berlin should not rule out the possibility.
Friedrich Merz, the opposition CDU/CSU alliance's candidate for chancellor in the upcoming parliamentary elections, said on Dec. 28 that Germany could join a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine but only with Russia's consent.
