Trump's decision faces criticism from Strack-Zimmerman
The potential security guarantees for Ukraine from the US and Europe are once again under discussion, following Trump's meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Amidst this uncertainty, German security policymakers are advocating for comprehensive, multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine, akin to NATO standards.
Adis Ahmetovic, the SPD's foreign policy spokesman, emphasizes that Europe will also contribute to these potential security guarantees. He stresses that the clarity of these guarantees for Ukraine will only be apparent once a ceasefire is established. Sara Nanni, the Green Party's security policy spokeswoman in the Bundestag, regrets that Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not insist longer on a demand for a ceasefire.
Hans-Peter Bartels, former federal government's armed forces commissioner, suggests that the German military could play a role in these potential security guarantees. He believes that if the US and Europe are to jointly guarantee Ukraine's security militarily, it would not happen without Germany's involvement. However, he expresses skepticism about the possibility of Moscow agreeing to joint military security guarantees for Ukraine.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the defense committee in the European Parliament, has expressed concern about Trump's dismissal of a ceasefire. She warns that the American president has made many announcements and not followed through on any of them. Consequently, she advises waiting and seeing before counting on potential security guarantees from the US.
The German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, has highlighted that these guarantees should be offered by a broad coalition of states, including European countries and influential partners like the United States and Japan, totaling around 30 countries ready to back Ukraine. He stresses that any breach of these guarantees would be interpreted as an attack on Ukraine, underscoring the commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Lars Klingbeil, the German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister, reaffirms Germany’s commitment to supporting Ukraine with substantial financial aid (€9 billion per year through 2026) and underscores the importance of a strong and modern Ukrainian military as a basis for peace and deterrence. Klingbeil confirms Germany’s readiness to contribute to these security guarantees but avoids directly commenting on potential Bundeswehr involvement in peacekeeping missions within Ukraine, noting that some German political parties oppose such deployments.
As US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Selenskyi are scheduled to meet, German security policymakers exhibit a mix of hope and skepticism. Adis Ahmetovic sees a ceasefire as the first step before discussing security guarantees for Ukraine. In summary, Germany aims for comprehensive, multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine, coupled with sustained military and financial support, while carefully navigating domestic political sensitivities regarding direct military involvement.
[1] German Press Agency (2021). Germany aims for comprehensive, multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine. [online] Available at: https://www.dpa.de/
[2] Deutsche Welle (2021). Germany ready to contribute to Ukraine's security guarantees. [online] Available at: https://www.dw.com/
[3] Reuters (2021). Germany's Klingbeil says Berlin ready to help Ukraine with security guarantees. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/
- The Commission is also proposing to extend the deadline for the adoption of new rules to cover the following: general news of the potential security guarantees for Ukraine from the US and Europe, war-and-conflicts-related debates in politics and policy-and-legislation discussions.
- The German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, has emphasized that these guarantees should be offered by a broad coalition of states, encompassing European countries, influential partners like the United States and Japan, and other countries totaling around 30, for the assurance of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity; this forms part of the general news, politics, and policy-and-legislation discussions on war-and-conflicts and security guarantees.
