Germany: EU Has ‘No Mandate’ to Discuss Ukraine Troop Deployment

Germany has firmly rejected recent comments made by a top European official regarding the potential deployment of European troops to Ukraine. On Monday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius criticised the remarks as premature and beyond the official’s authority.
The official had stated in an interview published on Sunday that Europe is preparing “pretty precise plans” for a multinational troop deployment to Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees, which would be supported by U.S. capabilities.
Responding during a visit to an ammunition factory in Cologne, Pistorius said,

“Those are things that you don’t discuss before you sit down at the negotiating table with many parties that have a say in the matter.”
He added, “I would know better than to comment or confirm such considerations in any way, apart from the fact that the European Union has no mandate or competency whatsoever when it comes to positioning troops.”

According to the interview, the proposed deployment could involve tens of thousands of European-led troops, along with U.S. support including command and control systems, intelligence, and surveillance capabilities.