European leaders collect as stress mounts on Kyiv

The problem of sending troops to Ukraine, whilst peacekeepers, is a thorny one for Germany.

Olaf Scholz, who will attend the summit as caretaker chancellor after dropping elections final Sunday, has repeatedly voiced his opposition. He reiterated this stance on February 17 after the Munich Safety Convention, telling France’s Emmanuel Macron the query was “fully untimely”.

Will this stance change underneath Friedrich Merz, the conservative chief who will succeed Scholz as soon as he seals a coalition take care of Scholz’s SPD get together? Merz, who talked to Scholz on Friday after the White Home meltdown, has made the participation of German troopers in a peacekeeping power in Ukraine depending on US participation.

Merz has been extra hawkish than Scholz, supporting the thought of supplying the nation’s long-range Taurus missiles to enhance Kyiv’s negotiation place in talks with Russia.