Germany may consider the option of deploying peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.

Minister of Defense of Germany Boris Pistorius believes that the German military could participate in ensuring the security of a demilitarized zone in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

He stated this in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

“This issue will be discussed when the time comes. We are NATO's largest partner in Europe. Therefore, it is clear that we will play a certain role and must take on responsibility,” said the German minister in response to a question about the potential deployment of German troops in the buffer zone between Ukraine and Russia.

Pistorius also considers it crucial to establish a level of security for Ukraine that would prevent a renewed attack by Russia in a few years. He also mentioned that he would soon travel to the USA to communicate with the administration of the newly elected US President Donald Trump.

“The candidate for the position of US Secretary of Defense has not yet been confirmed. However, we are interested in a swift meeting and exchange of views in Washington at the beginning of February,” said Pistorius.

Commenting on his recent visit to Kyiv, the minister noted that in Ukraine, “there is a sense of nervousness, uncertainty about what might happen in Washington when the new US President Donald Trump takes office.” According to him, Ukraine currently faces serious challenges, such as the mobilization of soldiers after three years of war.

However, Pistorius was impressed that despite the intense struggle, the country manages to be “more modern in some areas than some countries in Europe.” He highlighted the example of the digitalization of public services and innovations in drone development.

According to Pistorius, Russia currently occupies “18 or 19 percent of Ukrainian territory.” But despite nearly three years of war, it “has not gained more” and has suffered “significant losses in its own army.”

In Pistorius’s opinion, in the medium term, Germany's defense spending must significantly increase and exceed the current two percent. Responding to a question from SZ about Germany's contribution to NATO defense spending, Pistorius said: “We should be talking about three percent rather than two.”

The German Minister of Defense also called for long-term financial guarantees, including the creation of a “roadmap for the next ten years.” “The next generation will ask us: what did you do ten years ago so that we could live in safety in 2035?” he emphasized, highlighting the military threat from Russia.

Background. Earlier, Mind reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a European contingent on Ukrainian territory could become part of security guarantees but cannot be the only guarantee, as that would be insufficient.