NATO troops in Ukraine being scarcely conceivable

In the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, several key figures in German politics have expressed their views on the deployment of German troops and the handling of Ukrainian refugees.

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has not ruled out the deployment of German troops in Ukraine, but considers discussions premature. Merz places the deployment of German soldiers under significant reservations, emphasising the need for a ceasefire or peace agreement before long-term security guarantees can be decided upon.

Similarly, SPD's foreign policy spokesman, Adis Ahmetović, agrees with CSU leader Markus Söder that Germany should not take the third step before the first regarding the deployment of German ground troops. Ahmetović finds Söder's suggestion to deport Ukrainian refugees to the front bizarre and inappropriate, and is puzzled by Söder's plan to change the citizen's allowance for Ukrainians in Germany, aiming to increase their employment rate.

Söder, on the other hand, calls for a discussion on how to deal with Ukrainian refugees and suggests sending combat-capable Ukrainians back to their homeland to ensure security in Ukraine. However, he opposes deploying the German Armed Forces as part of security guarantees for Ukraine within the country.

The Green Party leader, Franziska Brantner, accuses Söder of populism. In a jibe, she suggests he should stick to sausage eating instead of discussing military matters.

It's important to note that there are no concrete plans for a military deployment in Ukraine from Germany at present. Thirty nations have joined together to promise their support for an initiative to ensure a peace agreement in Ukraine, but the specific list of these 30 countries is not detailed in the provided sources. However, it is noted that Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary have formed a coalition within the Kyiv Initiative framework to support Ukraine.

The concrete security guarantees of the USA are unclear, and they depend on the possibilities and scope of German engagement, according to Ahmetović. The deployment of troops also depends on the nature of the agreement with Russia. With Russia not currently ready to end the war, and there being no ceasefire, a deployment of German ground troops is considered inappropriate, according to Ahmetović.

Ukrainians who came to Germany in the large refugee movement after the Russian large-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022 were not asylum seekers but received citizen's allowance due to a special rule. Under the plans by the black-red coalition, people from Ukraine who arrive in Germany after April 1, 2025, will no longer receive citizen's allowance, but lower benefits like asylum seekers.

This special rule allowed Ukrainians to start working immediately and receive citizen's allowance if they couldn't earn their living right away. Ahmetović finds Söder's suggestion to change this rule concerning, as it could potentially impact the employment rate of Ukrainians in Germany.

In summary, while the German government is open to discussions about the deployment of troops in Ukraine, no concrete plans have been made. The handling of Ukrainian refugees, particularly their financial support, is also a topic of debate among German political leaders.