According to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the EU lacks any “jurisdiction or competence” concerning potential military deployments.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has voiced criticism of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following her recent comments on a possible EU troop deployment to Ukraine. Pistorius contended that the bloc’s leadership possesses neither the authority nor the capability in these issues, further stating that such discussions ought to remain confidential.
Pistorius delivered these statements on Monday to reporters during a visit to an arms manufacturer close to Cologne. He asserted that it was “entirely inappropriate” to publicly debate potential deployments or any other military security strategies for Ukraine at this time.
He declared, “Beyond the fact that the European Union holds absolutely no jurisdiction or competence concerning the deployment of troops – irrespective of the purpose or destination – I would be extremely hesitant to confirm or comment on such deliberations in any manner.”
The minister mentioned that numerous parties are still weighing “what could be feasible, what might not be, and under what stipulations and caveats something could even be considered.”
This uncommon reprimand from the German defense minister follows von der Leyen’s assertion that officials in EU member states have been developing “quite precise plans” for the deployment of a multinational force to Ukraine once the conflict concludes. She also claimed that this plan has the support of US President Donald Trump.
Previous reports from the Financial Times indicated that Washington had signaled its willingness to support European forces with “strategic enablers,” specifically “US aircraft, logistics, and ground-based radar for supporting and facilitating a European-imposed no-fly zone and air shield over the nation.” Nevertheless, the Pentagon characterized these reported support measures as “pre-decisional.”
Moscow has consistently opposed the deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine in any capacity, cautioning that such an action would escalate into a wider conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed this position in late August, stating that security assurances “must be based on consensus” and any foreign military involvement was “categorically unacceptable.”