Press reviews
Taurus debate in the Bundestag: “Vladimir Putin will be happy”
Ironically, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius avoided the question in the Bundestag about a possible Taurus delivery to Ukraine
© Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The parliament in Berlin argues about possible Taurus deliveries to war-torn Ukraine, but in the end the decision does not find a majority. The press review.
The traffic light coalition winds its way around the Taurus question. The Bundestag, with the votes of the traffic light coalition, called on the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to… Ukraine to supply additional “long-range weapon systems” for the defensive fight against Russia. However, it remained unclear on Thursday whether this meant the Taurus cruise missile. The Greens and the FDP largely understand the coalition’s proposal on the war in Ukraine in this way, while the SPD sees it as “not necessarily”. A CDU/CSU motion in which Taurus is explicitly mentioned did not find a majority in the Bundestag on Thursday.
This is how the press comments on the back and forth over the Taurus cruise missiles
“New Osnabrücker Zeitung”: “Scholz needs this support and must not gamble it away. He has been resisting persistently at Taurus for a long time. He must have good reasons for this, which he does not share with the public. Otherwise his refusal would hardly be justifiable. Contrary to all expectations, Ukraine has It has already resisted one of the largest armies in the world for two years. But recently it suffered severe setbacks. Thousands died, large parts of the country lie in ruins. Ukraine can still lose this war. The Bundestag’s change of course must therefore also have consequences “Air defense and ammunition – Ukraine needs both. Now. Otherwise the decision is not worth the paper it is written on.”
“Reutlinger General-Anzeiger”: “Of course you have to give FDP defense politician Strack-Zimmermann credit for seeing her vote as a decision of conscience. SPD parliamentary group leader Mützenich also formulated the Ukraine motion in such a way that it doesn’t necessarily have to be understood as an attack on his own chancellor . In addition, the government’s parliamentary majority is not in danger because of a dissenter. However, this behavior is wrong. Because they are just political games that change nothing and do not help Ukraine. It is clear to everyone involved what a face-saving solution could look like: “Germany delivers Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine via ring swap.”
“Badische Zeitung” (Freiburg): “Olaf Scholz’s caution is with all due respect: His de facto blockade on the Taurus issue is pushing Ukraine further into the defensive in an already difficult situation. Vladimir Putin will rejoice. What was that again with the thesis that Ukraine is also defending Europe’s freedom? In the Bundestag There was just little of it to be felt.”
“Ludwigsburg district newspaper”: “It is shameful the egg dance that the traffic light factions are doing. The whole matter is made even more embarrassing by the approval of the chairwoman of the Defense Committee and FDP top candidate for the European elections, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, to the Union faction’s proposal that calls Taurus by name . By breaking away from party discipline, the Free Democrat gave opposition leader Friedrich Merz a brief triumph. However, this did not help Ukraine. And that is the problem: Ukraine’s military situation is becoming more and more difficult, while politics in Berlin are having a heated debate without value for the country, which is fighting bitterly for its survival. A joint proposal would have been a better signal. Expressions of solidarity are undoubtedly welcome. But weapons and ammunition are needed on a large scale.”
“Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”: “The traffic light coalition, which by its own admission does not want Ukraine to lose, has revealed its indecision and inconsistency in the Taurus debate. It wants the delivery of ‘additionally required long-range weapon systems’ – by which traffic light MPs mean cruise missiles – , but not explicitly the Taurus, as demanded by the Union, which of course did not appear united. What an effort for a farce behind which the reason completely disappears. Ukraine needs what is necessary immediately to save lives “Every peace-loving country must feel obliged to protect them, not out of war obsession. Out of humanity – and in order not to end up the same way. To do this, Chancellor Scholz must overcome his fear.”