German soldiers stand in front of a Boxer military vehicle on 24 April 2024. Photo: Henry Nicholls, PA Images / Alamy
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his Estonian counterpart Hanno Pevkur have expressed their readiness to consider sending troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached. However, according to Pistorius, no decision has been made yet, and the details depend on future negotiations.
“I can’t imagine a situation where Germany will not participate in peacekeeping if appropriate agreements are reached. But this is a matter of time and many parameters,” the German defence minister said in Berlin, Politico reports .
What is behind Berlin and Tallinn’s statements?
European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met in Paris to discuss the possibility of sending an international contingent to Ukraine – the so-called “security guarantee force”. France and the UK are actively supporting this idea and trying to make it more realistic.
At the same time, Estonia emphasises that before deploying troops, their mandate should be clearly defined.
“If German, Estonian, French or British troops are there, Russia may try to block us and test our reaction elsewhere,” Pevkur said.
Problems with NATO and the US position
Amid the negotiations, the issue of Ukraine’s accession to NATO remains open. Pistorius acknowledged that Kyiv’s chances of joining the Alliance have significantly decreased after the statements of US President Donald Trump.
“Trump has effectively excluded Ukraine from the NATO discussion, and this is a reality that we will have to take into account,” the minister said.
Will Pistorius remain Defence Minister?
The future of Pistorius himself is also in doubt: his party (SPD) is negotiating the formation of a new government in Germany, and it is possible that the post of head of the Defence Ministry will go to another political force.
“I would like to continue my work, because it is not yet complete,” he said.
