Debate on peacekeepers for Ukraine ‘highly inappropriate’: Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday said that any debate on sending peacekeepers to Ukraine was “completely premature” and “highly inappropriate” while the war was ongoing.

European leaders held emergency talks in Paris to agree a coordinated response to a shock policy shift on the war by the new US administration of Donald Trump.

European leaders fear that Trump is planning on making peace with Russia in talks that will not even involve Ukraine, let alone the European Union.

But the notion of sending European troops to Ukraine in future, even after a ceasefire, was already causing friction.

Scholz, speaking after the meeting, said that “it is completely premature and the wrong time to be having this discussion now.”

“I am even a little irritated by these debates, I want to say that quite frankly,” he said.

“The discussion is being held over Ukraine’s heads, over the outcome of peace talks that have not taken place and to which Ukraine has not said yes and where it has not sat at the table,” he added.

“This is highly inappropriate, to put it quite frankly and honestly. We do not know what the outcome will be.”

Scholz, who faces a general election on Sunday, stressed that “we must continue to support Ukraine and it must and can rely on us.”

He said that Ukraine “must be able to continue on its path to the European Union, must be able to defend democracy and its sovereignty, and it must be able to maintain its own strong army.”

After the Trump administration had warned its European NATO allies to do more for shared defence, Scholz said that both must always act together on collective security.

“There must be no division of security and responsibility between Europe and the United States,” Scholz said.

“NATO is based on us always acting together and sharing the risk, thereby guaranteeing our security. This must not be called into question.”