Bild: Discussion over deployment of German troops to Ukraine "taken off" agenda

The German government has reportedly "closed the door" on the possibility of sending German troops to Ukraine to monitor compliance with a ceasefire, should one be established.

This development was reported by the German Bild newspaper, as Caliber.Az reports, citing sources inside Chancellor Friedrich Merz's cabinet.

The deployment of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) to monitor a ceasefire has therefore reportedly been taken “off the table for the time being,” according to government sources. This would only change “if Trump makes a move” and “Putin ends his war of aggression.” For both scenarios, however, the sources emphasized there are currently no indications for.

The Bild article noted that Chancellor Merz and his deputy Lars Klingbeil “no longer believe” in an imminent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In this context, the possible deployment of Western forces to Ukraine as part of so-called security guarantees is seen as a prospect for the distant future.

The unnamed source shared with the publication that Berlin is counting on “continuing to strengthen the Ukrainian armed forces in the event of a ceasefire to deter Russia from launching a renewed attack.” Specifically, the German authorities are prepared to take on the payment of salaries for Ukrainian soldiers.

Bild recalls that Ukrainian forces currently receive additional pay for participating in combat operations. Kyiv fears that if a ceasefire is established and these bonuses are cut, many Ukrainian soldiers will decide to leave the army, leading to an inevitable reduction in troop size.

Touching upon the issue of security guarantees, the article further reports that the German authorities are prepared to continue training Ukrainian troops and to increase weapons production in Ukraine with the participation of German defence companies.

By Nazrin Sadigova