In view of Ukraine’s problems with the offensive against the Russian occupiers, the pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to deliver taurusagree to cruise missiles. “Now that some in the SPD are also in favor of a delivery, we should think about a parliamentary initiative to increase the pressure on the chancellor’s office,” said CDU defense politician Roderich Kiesewetter Süddeutsche Zeitung. Union and politicians from the traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP could thus jointly request the Chancellor to deliver the weapons with which targets up to 500 kilometers away can be attacked.
From Ukraine’s point of view, the state-of-the-art missiles could help attack Russian positions far behind the front line and cut off supply routes. “It’s high time we gave Ukraine cruise missiles Taurus deliver,” said the chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), of the SZ. “A debate like the one we had again and again in the past year should stop in view of the drama in Ukraine.” She relates This is based on the months of discussions before the federal government finally approved the delivery of battle tanks and armored personnel carriers.
The Chancellor’s concern is whether Russian territory will be attacked with German weapons
The Bundeswehr is said to have around 600 Taurus own. Scholz did not rule out the delivery of German cruise missiles. From his point of view, however, the main question is whether it can be prevented that Ukraine could attack Russian territory with German weapons. A delivery should therefore depend on whether Scholz considers technical solutions to be convincing that prevent this, for example by programming the target inputs or limiting the range, which according to information from the industry would be possible through appropriate changes to the software of the missile.
Such attacks with Western weapons harbor the danger not only from the point of view of the German government, but above all also from the point of view of the USA that NATO will be drawn into the war. FDP politician Strack-Zimmermann, on the other hand, sees no obstacle in the range of the missiles. “It is possible under international law and militarily necessary to also provide Ukraine with the means to attack and neutralize military targets on Russian territory, from which it has been proven that hundreds of rockets are launched at Ukraine every day,” she said.
The CDU politician Kiesewetter emphasizes: “The time we spend with discussions and bogus arguments benefits Russia, in the long term it benefits China and it costs lives in Ukraine.” What is seen far too little: “If the Ukrainians no longer believe in victory, if the war turns into a war of attrition that lasts for years, then we will no longer be able to stop the mass flight and expulsion from Ukraine.”
Kiesewetter has been asking for one for months Taurus-Delivery. “It is a system that will increase Ukraine’s survivability and will contribute to the success of the liberation offensive.” Since hundreds of the rockets have to be repaired first, this must start now. Most recently, several MPs in the SPD had voted for one Taurus-Delivery pronounced and joined the demands of the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth (SPD).
Supporters of a delivery, including in the SPD, point out that France and Great Britain have delivered similar weapons. It is wrong to always orientate oneself only to the USA and to warn of the danger of escalation. Strack-Zimmermann stressed that Ukraine would only be able to have peace prospects and secure its territorial integrity if it were strong. If, on the other hand, Russia is successful with its illegal attack, “then there will be no lasting peace in Europe.”
The SPD budget and defense expert Andreas Schwarz told the SZ: “The Ukrainian offensive needs air support to overcome the minefields.” So he supports them Taurus-Delivery express. “The tanks alone can’t do it at the moment because of the large mined areas.” Ukraine has already received weapons from Germany that could be used to reach Russian territory. From Black’s point of view, the argument is against one Taurus-Delivery therefore not viable: “There is no doubt in Ukraine’s credibility that they stick to not attacking Russian territory.”
The SPD foreign politician Nils Schmid told the SZ: “A delivery in the future is not excluded.” The escalation risks can be estimated much better today. At Taurus but two conditions are not yet fulfilled. The Americans have not yet provided a comparable system, and the training is unclear. “What is not possible is that German soldiers enter the destination, that would be taking part in the war.”
To date, Ukraine has cruise missiles of the type supplied by Britain and France Storm Shadow and scalp According to estimates in Berlin, the delivery of Taurus-Cruise missiles in Ukraine will only help to a limited extent in the short term, because their fighter jet capacities have so far been limited to firing such weapons. Therefore, the country attacked by Russia also relies on the delivery of Western fighter jets.