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Germany open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine if ceasefire holds

04.12.2024 15:30
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated at a NATO summit in Brussels that Berlin would consider deploying peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a "real ceasefire" between Kyiv and Moscow.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES

Speaking at the foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday, Baerbock emphasized Germany's support for initiatives aimed at establishing lasting peace in Ukraine, including security guarantees, enhanced military support, and international peacekeeping missions.

"German soldiers could be deployed only under the condition of a real ceasefire," Baerbock said.

She also suggested that NATO membership for Ukraine could form part of a peace settlement, according to a report by Bloomberg.

However, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte expressed reservations about the proposal. He indicated that ministers would focus primarily on expediting military aid to Kyiv rather than exploring potential peace processes.

"Ukraine doesn't need more ideas on what a peace process could look like," Rutte told reporters. He argued that it's crucial to "make sure Ukraine has what it needs to get to a position of strength when those peace talks start—when the Ukrainian government has decided they're ready to do so," Bloomberg reported.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, told Italian news agency ANSA on Sunday that the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine should not be ruled out and that Europe could "play a role," though the final decision would rest with Kyiv.

(jh)

Source: Politico, Telegraph, Bloomberg