IN THE joint declaration of a coalition of willing EU heads of state and government, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and top EU officials dated December 15 2025, a commitment to peace is proclaimed.

While formally welcoming US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, joint measures are proposed that suggest the intent to continue the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.

Central to this is the prospect of offering Ukraine “Article 5-like” security guarantees after a peace settlement, which correspond to a functional equivalence to Nato membership, with robust commitments to collective defence that could trigger a multilateral military response in the event of a military conflict with Russia — including potential involvement by Germany.

The declaration disseminated by the Chancellery of this Coalition of the Willing would therefore amount to nothing less than the path to a Nato war against Russia.

These “robust security guarantees” are to be underpinned by “the provision of sustained and significant support for Ukraine to build its armed forces, which should permanently maintain a peacetime strength of 800,000 soldiers” as well as by “a Europe-led ‘multinational force for Ukraine’ composed of contributions from willing nations within the framework of a Coalition of the Willing, supported by the United States.”

This force should be able to “conduct operations inside Ukraine” as well. This would directly involve European troops from this Coalition of the Willing in a war.

Legally, this is to be fixed through “a binding commitment subject to national procedures to take measures to restore peace and security in the event of a future armed attack.”

Confrontation instead of compromise

The declaration of the Coalition of the Willing amounts to a future obligation to wage war against Russia. The heads of state and government are steadfastly committed to continuing Nato’s eastward expansion, even if this is disguised in the case of Ukraine.

The economic war is also to be pursued and intensified. The goal remains to ruin Russia.

The Russian state assets frozen in the European Union are to be expropriated and used for Ukraine as part of compensating Russia for Kiev. All measures are deliberately framed within the Nato context.

The joint declaration emphasises that “any negotiated solution should ensure the long-term security and unity of the Euro-Atlantic area and Nato’s role in providing robust deterrence.”

Toward the end, the unconditional will is expressed “to further increase pressure on Russia to force Moscow to negotiate seriously.”

Russia is supposed to agree to a de facto Nato membership for Ukraine, the stationing of Nato and EU troops on its border in Ukraine, and the expropriation of €210 billion in Russian state assets.

That is precisely what this declaration means in translation.

With this, the Coalition of the Willing has issued itself a blank cheque for continuing the proxy war. At the same time, work is under way on direct entry into war against Russia. The role of the United States remains opaque in light of this declaration of war.

It is clear that everything declared in Berlin is incompatible with the original Trump peace plan (28 points). Apparently, the demonstrated European willingness for war is to be used as leverage to achieve negotiation successes on paper.

It is doubtful whether Moscow will give its blessing to a de facto eastward expansion of Nato, let alone to the stationing of Nato states’ troops on its border. However, the demonstrated willingness for war, especially by the German Chancellor, increases the danger of war for Germany and risks the lives of the population in our country in passing.

Profit logic and censorship regime

Meanwhile, calls are growing loud from German industry not to miss out on the Ukraine deals in the pipeline. Parallel to the posturing in the Chancellery, the German-Ukrainian Economic Forum took place at the House of German Industry. The goal, according to The Pioneer: “to radiate optimism.”

Government representatives should henceforth travel to Ukraine with business delegations, and the Foreign Office should drop blanket travel warnings, according to the demands.

While the Kiesewetters and Hofreiters of the country rant about the “Russian war of annihilation,” the maxim in business is: “Safe investments can be made in western Ukraine. Other countries see it that way too. That’s good for business.”

Economics Minister Katherina Reiche herself is quoted as saying: “Yes, one can travel well through Ukraine.” She also praised the “spirit of the Ukrainians.” Specifically: “the appetite for risk.”

For now, though, it is about unconditional arms co-operation between Berlin and Kiev. According to a 10-point plan, Ukraine is having its self-developed combat drones built in industrial quantities in Germany.

Production is on behalf of the — corruption-prone — Kiev Defence Ministry, as the Ukrainian drone manufacturer Frontline Robotics and the German arms company Quantum Systems announced at the German-Ukrainian Economic Forum in Berlin. Peace is bad for business there.

And anyone who opposes the war preparations of the Coalition of the Willing or dares to criticise the official government myths risks being completely removed from the game. The EU has now imposed sanctions on 14 additional individuals in connection with the Ukraine war, including former army colonel and analyst for the Swiss intelligence service, employee of the United Nations and Nato in Ukraine, Jacques Baud.

The accusation: Baud spreads pro-Russian propaganda. The EU, which preaches democracy and human rights to the whole world, is in the process of establishing a systematic censorship regime to shield its war propaganda.

Freedom of opinion and the press is being sacrificed on the altar of its war preparations. The Von der Leyen system is a Metternich system that is gradually expanding. Anyone who does not conform can be next.

The fight for Jacques Baud’s freedom to express his opinion is the fight for freedom itself. Baud deserves the solidarity of all people who love peace and freedom.

Sevim Dagdelen is a former member of the Bundestag.