Germany shelves plan to deploy German soldiers to Ukraine

(MENAFN) Germany has decided to put aside plans to deploy its soldiers to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, according to reports citing government sources.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz had previously indicated a willingness to consider Berlin’s involvement in a potential peacekeeping mission. The proposal came from a so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of Western nations advocating continued support for Ukraine. The coalition suggested sending NATO forces to oversee a possible future ceasefire with Russia as part of security guarantees for Ukraine, despite Moscow’s repeated objections to any Western military presence on Ukrainian soil.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated last week that American troops would not be sent to Ukraine, emphasizing that the European Union, not the United States, should take the lead in providing security guarantees to Kiev, including peacekeeping roles.

Reports suggest that Trump’s position led Berlin to halt discussions on troop deployment “until further notice.” Sources indicated that the plan could be reconsidered if Trump changes his approach or if Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement.

In a ZDF interview on Sunday, Merz confirmed the shift in policy, stating, “nobody is talking about ground troops at this point,” while noting that discussions could resume once a ceasefire is established.

Instead of sending soldiers, Germany reportedly intends to offer financial security guarantees to Ukraine. Plans include continuing Bundeswehr training for Ukrainian forces, expanding weapons production within Ukraine through German arms companies, and potentially covering a portion of Ukrainian soldiers’ salaries after a ceasefire to help maintain adequate military strength.

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