Germans divided on sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, poll reveals

BERLIN

Half of Germans support participation in an international peacekeeping mission as part of a potential peace agreement for Ukraine, a poll by the Forsa institute revealed on Wednesday.

According to the survey, 49% of German citizens support sending German soldiers as part of a European peacekeeping force in the event of a peace agreement for Ukraine. Meanwhile, 45% oppose such deployment.

Skepticism was especially prevalent in the ex-Communist eastern regions, while supporters of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU bloc and their coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), largely favored German participation.

The survey also revealed a divided opinion on potential concessions to Russia. While 52% of respondents said they believe Ukraine should consider ceding occupied territories to end the war if necessary, 41% opposed any territorial concessions.

Germans remained cautious about Ukraine's potential membership in Western alliance systems. Only 19% supported a swift Ukrainian NATO accession. As many as 45% of respondents favored Ukraine’s NATO membership in future, while 31 % rejected membership entirely.

Approval for EU membership was somewhat higher. Some 18% wanted quick accession, while 56% advocated for Ukraine's long-term integration into the European Union. Only 23% fundamentally opposed Kyiv’s EU membership.

Earlier this week, Merz expressed openness to Berlin joining a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, following his talks with US President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House.

Merz stressed that Germany bears "a great responsibility" to participate in these efforts, though he said final decisions would depend on consultations with European partners and his coalition government. "It is absolutely clear that the whole of Europe should participate. After all, this isn't just about Ukraine's territory; it's about Europe's political order," he said.