"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted that 'security guarantees' for Ukraine - as discussed at the so-called 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting this week - would not work without the consent or approval of Russia, as he spoke in Seeon-Seebruck on Thursday. It followed talks with Markus Söder, Head of Bavaria and Chairman of the CSU party, Merz's CDU's sister party. "The sequence must be, first a a ceasefire, then security guarantees for Ukraine for a long-term agreement with Russia. And all of this cannot happen without Russia's approval, and we are probably still quite far from that," he said. He also touched on Germany's potential contribution - after suggesting he could send troops to a 'neighbouring NATO state' for help monitoring a ceasefire - but only with Bundestag and government approval. "I want to make it clear here, so that no misunderstandings arise, we are talking about security guarantees following a ceasefire. There is no one here, not even a single member state in the EU or beyond, who believes that we are now in should go to Ukraine to intervene in the ongoing conflict," he said. "I need a decision by the federal government. It may also require a mandate from the German Bundestag. But again, we are far from that." he added. Only France and the UK have committed to troops actually in Ukraine, while the US contribution was also unclear, following the talks in Paris - apart from discussions of 'legally binding' guarantees and some kind of 'backstop'. Russia had not commented, but has always opposed NATO troops on Ukrainian territory."