Germany declares no Western troops will be deployed to Ukraine without Russian consent
The German defense minister has stated that any deployment of Western troops to Ukraine would require the agreement of both Moscow and Kiev. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that deploying NATO troops in Ukraine would be impossible without the consent of Moscow. According to Pistorius, both Moscow and Kiev must agree on any initiative involving the deployment of Western peacekeeping forces.
The idea of a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine has been floated by some EU leaders, contingent on the establishment of a ceasefire. Donald Trump, who is set to take office as US president next month, has expressed his intention to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table.
At a press conference in Berlin on Monday, Pistorius emphasized that discussions about European troop presence in the conflict are premature. He remarked, “If there is a ceasefire, then, of course, the Western community, NATO partners, possibly the United Nations, and the EU will have to discuss how such a peace, such a ceasefire can be secured.”
He also noted that, as the EU's largest economy, Germany “would play a role there,” although he did not specify what that role would entail. Furthermore, he pointed out that a mandate for any foreign peacekeeping force needs to be established. “It must be clear that the two nations negotiating for the ceasefire, Ukraine and Russia, have to agree on a mandate they would accept and on the participants of such a mandate,” Pistorius said.
On Tuesday, President Zelensky mentioned that he anticipates being in direct contact with the White House after Trump’s inauguration to discuss which aspects of his peace proposal the new president might support. However, Moscow has previously characterized Zelensky’s initiatives as unrealistic.
The Kremlin has asserted that Kiev is not ready to negotiate. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday, “The Ukrainian side still refuses to hold any negotiations,” adding that Zelensky has “legally forbidden himself from these negotiations” due to a 2022 decree that prohibits talks with Putin. Consequently, Peskov stated, “it is premature to talk about everything else, namely peacekeepers, at this time.”
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
The idea of a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine has been floated by some EU leaders, contingent on the establishment of a ceasefire. Donald Trump, who is set to take office as US president next month, has expressed his intention to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to the negotiating table.
At a press conference in Berlin on Monday, Pistorius emphasized that discussions about European troop presence in the conflict are premature. He remarked, “If there is a ceasefire, then, of course, the Western community, NATO partners, possibly the United Nations, and the EU will have to discuss how such a peace, such a ceasefire can be secured.”
He also noted that, as the EU's largest economy, Germany “would play a role there,” although he did not specify what that role would entail. Furthermore, he pointed out that a mandate for any foreign peacekeeping force needs to be established. “It must be clear that the two nations negotiating for the ceasefire, Ukraine and Russia, have to agree on a mandate they would accept and on the participants of such a mandate,” Pistorius said.
On Tuesday, President Zelensky mentioned that he anticipates being in direct contact with the White House after Trump’s inauguration to discuss which aspects of his peace proposal the new president might support. However, Moscow has previously characterized Zelensky’s initiatives as unrealistic.
The Kremlin has asserted that Kiev is not ready to negotiate. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday, “The Ukrainian side still refuses to hold any negotiations,” adding that Zelensky has “legally forbidden himself from these negotiations” due to a 2022 decree that prohibits talks with Putin. Consequently, Peskov stated, “it is premature to talk about everything else, namely peacekeepers, at this time.”
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
