Merz Rejects Von der Leyen’s 'Road Map' for European Troops in Postwar Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected remarks made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggesting that European capitals already had a detailed plan for deploying troops to Ukraine as part of future security guarantees. His comments, reported by the German press on September 2, came in response to von der Leyen’s interview with the Financial Times on August 31, where she stated that Europe had “pretty precise plans” for such measures in a postwar scenario.

Merz pushed back firmly, stressing that no such agreements exist, “at least not in Germany.” He argued that discussions about troop deployments could only begin once there is a ceasefire or peace arrangement in place. According to him, any long-term commitments involving German soldiers would also require explicit approval from the Bundestag, underscoring both constitutional and political limitations.

His position was echoed by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who one day earlier criticized von der Leyen’s remarks as premature. Pistorius said it was “fundamentally wrong” to speak of deployments before serious negotiations have even started. He underlined that the European Union lacks both the authority and the mandate to decide on sending troops abroad, insisting that such decisions remain the responsibility of sovereign states.

The exchange reflects the sensitive debate within Europe about how far countries are willing to go in providing Ukraine with security guarantees once active fighting ends. Discussions have intensified in recent weeks, with some leaders promoting the idea of a European-led “coalition of the willing” that could commit to military assistance, training, logistical backing, and potentially a multinational reassurance force inside Ukraine.

Moscow has been quick to dismiss these ideas. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any deployment of Western-linked forces, even under the label of peacekeepers, would amount to “foreign military intervention” and be treated accordingly.

Other European leaders have tried to clarify the scope of proposed commitments. French President Emmanuel Macron has stressed that security guarantees would not equate to NATO membership for Ukraine but would rest on building up a strong and independent Ukrainian military, supported by contributions from more than 30 allied states.

Across the Atlantic, Washington has also drawn its own red lines. U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News on August 19 that while the United States could consider providing air support as part of broader guarantees, deploying American ground troops to Ukraine was not an option under his administration’s policy.