On February 21 local time, German Chancellor Scholz reiterated that it is still too early to discuss the possibility of sending German soldiers to Ukraine. At the same time, he promised that Germany and Europe will not leave Ukraine alone.
Merz, the candidate for chancellor of the Union parties, and German Vice-Chancellor Habeck also emphasized that Europe should independently formulate its defense strategy instead of relying entirely on the security guarantee of the United States.
During a media interview on the same day, Scholz admitted that "it is still a long way from a ceasefire". Therefore, whether Germany will send troops to ensure a possible future peace agreement is still "an issue that should not be discussed at present". He pointed out that Germany's top priority is to continue providing necessary financial and military support to Ukraine.