**Germany’s Role in Ukraine Peacekeeping**
Germany may consider joining a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, but only if Russia agrees. This was said by Friedrich Merz, the opposition CDU/CSU alliance’s chancellor candidate, on December 28.
Merz made his comments after hearing that France and the UK are discussing sending troops to monitor a ceasefire in Ukraine. The US President-elect Donald Trump has also proposed this idea as part of his peace plan.
**Germany Needs Clear Mandate**
Merz said that Germany’s participation in peacekeeping operations requires a clear mandate under international law. He emphasized that Russia’s agreement is essential for any German involvement.
“If a peace agreement is reached and Ukraine needs security guarantees, we can only discuss this if there is a clear mandate under international law,” Merz said. “I don’t see it at the moment. I would like such a mandate to be given in consensus with Russia, not in conflict.”
**Similar Stance as Chancellor**
Merz’s stance on deploying troops aligns closely with that of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Despite criticizing Scholz for hesitancy in supporting Ukraine, Merz has also described discussions about German troop deployment as “irresponsible.” Scholz has ruled out deploying German troops to Ukraine “at this stage.”
**Future Peacekeeping Operations**
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius left the door open for potential future peacekeeping operations, saying that there are still too many unknowns.
Merz’s comments highlight ongoing debates within Germany about its role in post-war security guarantees for Ukraine. His CDU/CSU alliance leads in polls ahead of Germany’s February 23 elections.
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