German “Taurus” cruise missiles for Kiev? Chancellor Scholz still does not want to commit himself. SPD leader Esken pleads for a coordinated decision. CDU Vice Kretschmer speaks out against the delivery.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed reservations about a possible delivery of cruise missiles of the “Taurus” type to Ukraine. As in the past, the federal government will always check every single decision very carefully – what’s going on, what makes sense, what the German contribution could be, said the SPD politician in the ZDF “summer interview”.
Germany will continue to make it difficult for itself. His impression is that the vast majority of citizens find that very correct. “Decisions must always be weighed carefully,” said the Chancellor.
“Can say something when there is something to say”
Recently, several politicians from the ranks of the FDP, Union and the Greens had called for Scholz to deliver “Taurus” cruise missiles quickly. According to a report by “Spiegel”, the federal government is particularly cautious because the projectiles can also reach Russian territory far from the front line. The weapon system can destroy bunkers and protected command posts at a distance of up to 500 kilometers.
Scholz wants to use technical modifications to the “Taurus” to prevent Ukraine from launching attacks on Russian territory with the long-range weapon systems. In industry circles it was said that such a restriction of the system is quite possible, but will take a few weeks. According to “Spiegel” information, Scholz only wants to approve the Taurus delivery when he is convinced of the technical modification.
When asked about this, Scholz said on ZDF: “We deal with all the questions that are brought to us.” But he only wants to comment on this “if there is something to say”.
Esken: “Will continue to support Ukraine”
Germany is the country that supports Ukraine the most after the USA. “We do that primarily with tanks, with artillery,” said Scholz. “We did that with a lot of air defense.” The Chancellor pointed out that the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Germany for the two additional launch pads of the “Patriot” air defense system.
SPD leader Saskia Esken said in the ARDSummer interview: “So far we have supported Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggressor with everything that was necessary. And we will continue to do so.” She also assumes that Ukraine will comply with international law in its struggle.
According to Esken, the debate is not about excluding things, but “it’s actually about weighing everything that speaks for and against such a delivery”. Germany must act in concert with all allies, especially the USA.
Kretschmer: federal government crosses red lines
The debate about the delivery is apparently not over even within the parties. CDU Vice Michael Kretschmer spoke out vehemently against a delivery. The federal government repeatedly crosses the red lines it has set itself, the Saxon Prime Minister told the “Spiegel”. “First on supplying ‘Leopard’ tanks, now on cruise missiles. What next?”
Germany must continue its “responsible, clever and balanced foreign and security strategy”. “Do we really want to accept that German missiles could hit Russia?” Kretschmer asked. Instead, he called for “new, intensive diplomatic initiatives by the free West.”
Kiev courts German “Taurus”
Ukraine continues to put pressure on the German government to deliver the German “Taurus” cruise missiles to Kiev. Ukraine needs them “to save more lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and to speed up the liberation of their territories,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told “Bild am Sonntag”.
A longer range of the missiles therefore means a “shorter duration of the war,” said Kuleba. With the weapon, Ukraine could “reach the Russian occupying forces on Ukrainian soil far beyond the front line, disrupt their logistics and destroy command centers and ammunition depots.” Ukraine has already received cruise missiles from the UK and France, but not from the US.