The deployment of multinational forces as security guarantees for Ukraine is impossible without Moscow’s consent, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said while addressing reporters after the final session of the Christian Social Union’s regional working group, held at the Seeon Monastery.

Merz outlined a strict sequence of steps that, in his view, leaves no room for shortcuts. The process, he argued, must begin with a ceasefire, followed by the provision of security guarantees for Ukraine, and only then move toward a long-term peace agreement with Russia. Any attempt to reverse this order, he made clear, would be futile.

At the same time, the chancellor stressed that progress at every stage hinges directly on Moscow’s position. According to him, the parties have so far failed to move closer to an understanding with Russia, making the implementation of this roadmap uncertain.

Earlier, on January 8, Maria Zakharova, the official spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, said that the West’s continued push to militarize Ukraine has nothing to do with seeking a peaceful settlement. Instead, she maintained, it is aimed at escalating tensions and widening the conflict.

Meanwhile, The Times reported that Paris and London are considering the deployment of up to 15,000 troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement. The newspaper noted that the force under discussion would be significantly smaller than earlier proposals.