EU bears no responsibility for military action in Ukraine, according to Merz's statement.

In an interview for the Sat.1 show ":newstime", German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke about the controversial topic of deploying ground troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire.

According to Merz, long-term security guarantees for Ukraine can only be decided upon if there is a ceasefire or a peace agreement. He placed the deployment of German soldiers under significant reservations, even in such a scenario. The German Bundestag's agreement would be necessary for any such deployment, Merz stated.

The Chancellor clarified that military support for Ukraine is a matter for member states in the coalition of the willing, not the EU Commission. He did not mention any concrete plans for a military deployment in Germany.

Merz's comments come in response to statements by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about deploying ground troops to Ukraine. Von der Leyen's remarks have sparked debate and criticism, with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) previously sharply criticizing her for her statements.

The "Financial Times" reported that Von der Leyen discussed precise plans for the deployment of ground troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire. However, the search results do not provide information on the countries that belong to the so-called "coalition of the willing" meeting in Paris to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine after a ceasefire.

The consultations during the meeting will focus on security guarantees for Ukraine after a ceasefire. The meeting of the coalition of the willing, which includes around 30 states, will take place in Paris on Thursday. Some participants will join the meeting via video.

The deployment of ground troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire is a controversial topic, as evidenced by the criticism from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). Merz stated that the type of agreement with Russia would also influence the deployment of German soldiers.

It is important to note that Merz stated there are many hurdles and possibly a long period of time before any deployment of troops, as he suggests. The details of the plans for the deployment of ground troops to Ukraine, if any, remain unclear at this time.

EU bears no responsibility for military action in Ukraine, according to Merz's statement.