Overview
- Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Germany’s ambassadors that the country will do its part on guarantees for Ukraine but offered no operational details.
- CSU leader Markus Söder rejected stationing NATO or Bundeswehr forces in Ukraine, argued the military is not ready, and called for reinstating conscription.
- Söder suggested considering the return of able‑bodied Ukrainian refugees, drawing sharp criticism from Greens co‑leader Franziska Brantner and SPD foreign‑policy spokesman Adis Ahmetović.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated that there are no concrete German deployment plans and that any long‑term commitments would require a ceasefire or peace deal and Bundestag approval.
- Reporting indicates no plans for direct NATO participation, a group of about 30 countries has signaled support for the initiative, and ex‑ambassador Andrij Melnyk called the current troop debate a “Scheindebatte” without a clear mandate.