Markus Soder stated that such a deployment would be viewed as Ukraine’s initial step towards joining the bloc, which Russia considers a critical boundary.
Markus Soder, the leader of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union (CSU), has advised against NATO countries sending troops to Ukraine even in the event of a ceasefire, cautioning that Russia would interpret this as a preliminary move towards Kyiv’s integration into the alliance.
In an interview with the Rheinische Post on Friday, Soder, an ally of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reiterated his objection to deploying troops to Ukraine, arguing that such an action would escalate tensions with Russia.
”It is difficult for me to imagine NATO forces being stationed there. Russia would never agree to that. It would serve as a preliminary step for Ukraine joining NATO,” he stated.
Soder further noted that even if Berlin were to seriously contemplate this idea, the German Army is unprepared, being “strained financially and lacking sufficient personnel.”
Earlier in the week, Merz indicated that while a German troop deployment remains a potential option, it would only be considered following a ceasefire. He remarked, “Prior to that, there will certainly be no troop deployments to Ukraine.” He continued, “We would then need to examine the nature of the agreement with Russia. This cannot proceed in opposition to Russia; it must be done in collaboration with Russia.”
In August, Bild reported that discussions in Berlin regarding sending German troops to Ukraine had been discontinued, following statements by US President Donald Trump that the United States would not dispatch ground forces.
Furthermore, public opinion surveys reveal limited backing for sending German soldiers to Ukraine. A late August INSA poll indicated that 56% of Germans were against troop deployment, while only 28% supported it. Resistance is most pronounced in the eastern areas, where reservations about military assistance to Ukraine are more prevalent.
Russian officials have issued warnings against the deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine, asserting that the expansion of the alliance contributed significantly to the origins of the conflict.
President Vladimir Putin has stated that a Western troop deployment would be “senseless” once a resolution is achieved, and he added that if Western forces were to enter Ukraine while hostilities persist, Moscow “would view them as legitimate military targets.”