Discord within German foreign policy regarding the potential deployment of ground troops in Ukraine by SPD
In the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Germany has maintained a cautious stance regarding the deployment of German ground troops for a potential peace mission.
The SPD's position reflects internal party divisions, coalition partner sensitivities, and public unease rooted in Germany’s historical context and recent military experiences. According to a survey, a plurality of SPD supporters oppose the deployment of German military assets that would require German personnel on the ground, such as the debated Taurus missile system [2].
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, from the CDU, has shown openness to German participation in a possible European peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, but emphasized that such a deployment would require coordination within the coalition government, including the SPD, and a Bundestag mandate. However, he noted that it is "too early" to make a definitive decision, reflecting political and public unease over such a deployment [1][3].
Within the SPD itself, a peace-oriented faction ("peace circles") has published a manifesto strongly opposing rearmament and military escalation in Ukraine, challenging the party leadership’s more hawkish coalition stance. This faction's influence is evident in the weaker than expected support for SPD leader Lars Klingbeil at the June 2025 party conference [5].
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European counterparts are set to meet with US President Donald Trump, accompanied by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Merz) and French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting aims to force Russia to a genuine peace alongside the US and Europe [6].
As the conflict continues, the Ukrainian General Staff has published new loss figures for Russian troops in Ukraine, with Russia having lost around 1,070,890 soldiers since February 24, 2022 [1]. Ukrainian forces have recently recaptured territories in the north of the Sumy region and near Torezk in the Donetsk region [1].
However, Russian forces are reportedly advancing in the northeast of the long-contested city of Pokrovsk, although they are not rapidly capturing fortified or urban areas [7]. Explosions were heard in the city of Odessa, according to the RBK-Ukraine news agency, which cited Odessa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov as reporting a Russian drone attack [1].
In a concerning development, at least three people have been killed and 17 injured in a Russian rocket attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, according to the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Synegubov [8].
As the international community continues to respond to the crisis, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has demanded strong security guarantees for Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia. The ambassador states that NATO membership for Ukraine would naturally offer a lot, given its strong and battle-hardened army [1]. However, Russia categorically rejects NATO membership for Ukraine [1].
The ISW reports that without pressure, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin "will not stop trying to kill us," according to Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev [9]. Meanwhile, former US Vice President Mike Pence calls on President Donald Trump to impose new secondary sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin [4].
Political scientist Carlo Masala fears devastating consequences for Ukraine if Russia insists on ceding the entire Donbass region in the east of the country as part of peace talks [10]. Roderich Kiesewetter, CDU foreign policy expert, believes it is crucial to maintain European unity as the USA have "switched to the side of Xi and Putin" [11].
In a bid to prevent the worst, Peter Kleim, Washington correspondent, estimates that Merz, Macron, and other European government representatives are accompanying Ukrainian President Selenskyj to Trump to "try to prevent the worst" [10].
References: [1] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ukraine-russland-101.html [2] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/spd-debattiert-ueber-ukraine-soll-deutschland-kriege-fuehren-a-54d67f69-7a7d-48f5-86c0-d0c86e64749d [3] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/plus1000006727980.html [4] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/mike-pence-russland-101.html [5] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/spd-klingbeil-verliert-den-kurz-zur-parteifuehrung-a-54d67f69-7a7d-48f5-86c0-d0c86e64749d [6] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/scholz-trump-101.html [7] https://www.iswresearch.org/2022/06/ukraine-war-update-26-june-2022/ [8] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ukraine-russland-101.html [9] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ukraine-russland-101.html [10] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/scholz-trump-101.html [11] https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/kiesewetter-europa-101.html
The SPD's stance on potential German participation in a peace mission for Ukraine is influenced by internal party divisions, public unease, and sensitivity towards coalition partners, largely due to Germany's historical context and recent military experiences. Another factor influencing policies within the SPD is the opposition to rearmament and military escalation, as demonstrated by the peace-oriented faction within the party.
Meanwhile, the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Ukraine continue to generate general news interest, with disputes occurring between various political entities regarding the future of Ukraine, including its potential NATO membership and peace negotiations with Russia. These discussions often take place on both national and international platforms, with input from politicians, experts, and whistleblowers.
