Merz Says No Security Guarantees Without Ceasefire in Ukraine

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s new chancellor, reiterated Berlin’s position that a ceasefire or peace deal in Ukraine needs to come before the subject of security guarantees can be discussed. 

Merz was sworn in as chancellor on Tuesday after a historic upset earlier the same day had seen him fail to secure the required number of votes during the first round of polling in the Bundestag. 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday during a visit to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron – his first trip as chancellor – Merz said Germany cannot discuss guarantees for Ukraine without concrete conditions being in place. 

“Without a lasting ceasefire and a peace agreement with Russia, we cannot provide information on security guarantees because we do not yet know the conditions,” Merz said, according to Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform.

Merz’s comments marked a continuation of Berlin’s position to support Ukraine without currently committing to future guarantees, a position shared by his predecessor Olaf Scholz, who in February described discussions on German troop deployments to Ukraine as “premature.” 

The Times, citing unnamed officials, said the “Coalition of the Willing” – Europe’s key drive to provide guarantees via boots on the ground – has failed to gain traction due to the inability to rally enough troops for the mission. 

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Merz also said he plans to visit Ukraine soon, preparations for which are underway.

“Indeed, I plan to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks. Consultations are currently underway to prepare for this visit,” he said. He last visited Kyiv in December 2024 as the leader of Germany’s opposition. 

Merz added that he believes Kyiv is already open to peace talks, and the decision to end the war now rests on Moscow. 

“I believe that the Ukrainian side is ready for this, but the decision on whether this war can be ended should be made in Moscow, and I hope that after this weekend we will really have the opportunity to achieve a ceasefire and peace negotiations that will lead to such an agreement,” Merz said. 

Russian leader Vladimir Putin earlier announced a three-day unilateral truce in commemoration of WWII’s Victory Day, a move criticized by Kyiv for being insincere, with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky once again proposing an unconditional 30-day ceasefire –an offer that was declined by Moscow. 

The US, which continues to pursue the role of mediator for talks between the two countries, also said it wants to see a permanent ceasefire rather than Putin’s proposal for a limited truce.