Berlin will take part in providing security guarantees for Ukraine alongside European partners but the talks are at an early stage and must be shaped by Kyiv, German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said on Monday (August 25) in Ukraine's capital.
"It is also clear that we as a Western alliance are now working together with Ukraine on the question of security guarantees," said Klingbeil during his first visit to Kyiv.
"This is an intensive process that is still in its early stages, but it is absolutely clear – and I want to emphasise this again here – that we in Germany will of course also bear responsibility."
Klingbeil, who also serves as Germany's finance minister, said in order to achieve that goal the Ukrainian army needed to be strengthened and arms production inside Ukraine needed to be ramped up.
"It must also be clear that any negotiations must begin with a ceasefire, meaning that Vladimir Putin must stop the killing", Klingbeil added.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pressed for a quick end to the war, but Kyiv and its allies are concerned he could seek to force an agreement on Russia's terms.
"It is now up to Vladimir Putin to show that he has a serious interest in a lasting, just peace," Klingbeil said. "I would like to make it very clear that it is now up to Putin to take the next step."
Klingbeil said Ukraine needed to be involved in the talks and there needed to be a ceasefire and reliable security guarantees for a lasting peace.
Among options presented this week for security for Ukraine after a possible peace deal, both French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer supported troop deployments as part of a coalition of the willing.
Merz has also signalled openness to Germany's participation but would face a backlash both from within and outside his political spectrum on the matter.
According to Klingbeil's ministry, the German government has supported Ukraine with €50.5 billion ($59.18 billion) since the war started.
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