German Ex-Foreign Minister Suggests Military Presence in Ukraine After Ceasefire
Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has expressed support for a German military presence in Ukraine, contingent on a potential ceasefire.
Gabriel made the statement during an interview with RTL and ntv on Friday. He emphasized the need for a visible military presence in Ukraine, saying, “What the Ukraine wants are partners that are militarily present in the Ukraine, to show to any potential adversary, in this case, Mr. Putin, that if you attack Ukraine, you are attacking us.”
Gabriel, who is also the chairman of the Atlantik-Brücke, a German foreign policy think tank, warned against empty promises. “It’s not enough to write a letter to the Ukrainians and say we’ll look out for you” he said.
Gabriel’s remarks suggest that Germany may consider a military presence in Ukraine, not only as a NATO member on the eastern flank, but also as a European power, alongside other EU nations.