Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, has urged consideration of a potential Bundeswehr peacekeeping mission within Ukraine, stating that discussions regarding security guarantees for his country should not be approached with pre-defined limitations. In remarks to the Handelsblatt, Makeiev cautioned against establishing “red lines” in advance, specifically referencing the possibility of German military involvement. He reiterated that Ukraine’s preferred security guarantee remains full membership in NATO.
The ambassador firmly rejected any suggestion of Ukrainian territorial concessions as part of a potential peace settlement, arguing that rewarding aggression would have dire consequences for European security. He emphasized that allowing an aggressor to retain occupied territories would undermine international law and the established world order.
Makeiev also responded to recent calls from the CSU party to discontinue citizen’s allowance payments to young Ukrainian men in Germany who are not employed or returning to Ukraine for military service. He characterized these demands as politically motivated rhetoric that would be difficult to implement in practice. He did, however, note that it is in the mutual interest of both Ukraine and Germany for Ukrainian nationals residing in Germany to participate in the labor force, highlighting that approximately 34% of Ukrainians in Germany have already entered employment – a figure he considers positive given the substantial number of women and children among the refugee population.