Following a recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussions have been re-opened regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, potentially involving both American and European contributions. President Trump reportedly indicated a willingness to consider such guarantees to European counterparts, though specific details were not disclosed.
The prospect has met with skepticism from a number of German defense policy officials. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chair of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament, cautioned against premature expectations, stating, “The American president has announced a lot of things without following through on them”. She suggested a “wait-and-see” approach, emphasizing the need for concrete developments before drawing conclusions.
Similar concerns were voiced by Sara Nanni, security policy spokesperson for the Green Party in the Bundestag, who expressed regret over the apparent softening of position by CDU leader Friedrich Merz regarding a demand for a ceasefire. “Until a ceasefire is implemented, it’s pointless to discuss providing security assurances. What exactly would we be securing?” she stated.
Adis Ahmetovic, foreign policy spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, also identified a ceasefire as a crucial first step. “The question of security guarantees can only be addressed in detail once a ceasefire is in place” he said, emphasizing the pivotal role of the United States in any such arrangements. “Europe will, of course, also contribute its share.
Hans-Peter Bartels, a former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, believes that any potential security guarantees would require a significant contribution from the German armed forces. “If the Americans and Europeans were to jointly guarantee Ukraine’s security militarily, it would undoubtedly involve Europe’s largest country” he explained. However, he currently considers such a development unlikely, expressing doubts about Moscow’s willingness to engage in such an agreement.
