Several lawmakers from the SPD and Union have expressed reservations about the deployment of ground troops to Ukraine to secure a potential ceasefire.
Michael Roth, a SPD politician, told the Spiegel that without concrete security guarantees, Russia could use a ceasefire to regroup and launch a new attack. “If one wants to talk about peace, one must also be willing to discuss how a fragile peace can be secured” he said.
Roth added that Germany’s role in a European solution to secure a ceasefire is crucial, as the country cannot afford to be left out of the process.
Andreas Schwarz, another SPD politician, emphasized Germany’s responsibility, stating that if the country benefits from peace, it must contribute to the effort. “Without western security guarantees, the Ukraine cannot achieve successful peace negotiations, as agreements with Putin and his words lack reliability” he said.
Roderich Kiesewetter, a CDU representative, shared similar views, saying that a ceasefire line must be secured with robust European troops. “Germany, as the strongest economy, will have to take on a responsibility, even if a ceasefire or a realistic peace is currently far off” he stated.
Kiesewetter also warned that those who dismiss the deployment of Bundeswehr soldiers to secure a ceasefire are acting recklessly and cannot honestly demand peace without outlining how it would be secured.
Florian Hahn, a CSU politician, cautioned against hasty discussions, stating that starting a debate about security guarantees or the design of a security/friedenstruppe is premature. “Hasty debates without solid backgrounds are rarely politically sensible and only help Putin in this situation” he said.
According to Hahn, the country’s priorities should be on supporting the Ukraine and discussing options once they are on the table, rather than engaging in premature debates.