German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing opposition from coalition partners, particularly the Social Democratic Party (SPD), over his proposal to send German troops to Ukraine under a ceasefire agreement between Moscow and Kiev. The SPD has insisted that Germany’s military forces can only be deployed alongside US troops, but US President Donald Trump has ruled out sending American ground forces to Ukraine. This has raised questions about the feasibility of Merz’s plan, especially with the current geopolitical tensions.
Bild reported that Merz supports sending the German military to Ukraine, but the SPD has made it clear that they will only support the mission if the US also takes the lead. However, Trump has ruled out the deployment of US ground troops, which has left Merz in a difficult position. The political implications of this stand-off are significant, as it affects the broader strategy for supporting Ukraine and the relationship between the US and Germany.
Publicly, Merz has not ruled out dispatching German soldiers to Ukraine, but he has emphasized that the whole of Europe should participate in potential security guarantees to Kiev. He has also highlighted the importance of Europe’s political order in the context of the conflict. However, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has warned that Germany’s military capacity is already stretched to the limit, and simultaneous involvement in a mission in Ukraine would likely be too much for the country to handle.
Although Trump has ruled out sending US ground troops to Ukraine, he has expressed willingness to offer an air support framework if Moscow and Kiev reach an agreement to end hostilities. The situation has further escalated following the summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, as well as a visit by Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky and several European leaders, including Merz, to Washington on Monday. The summit discussions centered on resolving the Ukraine conflict.
Russia has warned that any NATO or Western troop presence in Ukraine would be absolutely unacceptable, regardless of its form or potential scenarios. This has added another layer of complexity to the already delicate diplomatic situation. The international community is now closely watching the developments as the situation continues to evolve.