German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was too early and "inappropriate" to discuss whether Berlin would send troops to a possible peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the future.
He also stressed that as Ukraine's war with Russia continues, it is "out of the question to send troops or German soldiers to Ukraine in the current situation," AFP reported.
Scholz was responding to speculation that followed Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock's comments during a meeting with her NATO counterparts in Brussels.
Asked about a possible future multinational peacekeeping force in Ukraine, Baerbock stated, "Of course, we will support everything that serves peace in the future, with all the strength on the German side."
This was interpreted by some as leaving the door open for German participation in such hypothetical forces.
Scholz, however, stressed that Berbock was talking about "what might happen in a future postwar period, and was trying to avoid saying yes or no." Speaking in parliament, he added that "it is completely inappropriate for us to speculate about what might happen after a negotiated ceasefire."
Foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer pointed out at a regular press conference that Berbok's comments had been "exaggerated" in some media reports.
At present, there is "no indication" that Russia is ready to start negotiations, Fischer said, meaning discussions about what a peace agreement might look like are premature.
Germany has been the second-largest provider of military aid to Kiev since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022. But Scholz has refused to send Ukraine long-range Taurus missiles, saying it could lead to direct conflict between Russia and NATO.
Ahead of snap parliamentary elections expected at the end of February, Scholz underlined his cautious stance on Ukraine, unlike the leader of the main opposition CDU/CSU, Friedrich Merz, who advocated sending Ukraine the Taurus missiles. | BGNES
