war against Ukraine
Kiev is pushing for Taurus cruise missiles – Scholz brakes
The photo released by the Bundeswehr shows a Tornado IDS ASSTA 3.0 fighter jet equipped with the Taurus guided missile. photo
© Andrea Bienert/Bundeswehr/dpa
In its defensive war against the Russian aggressor, Kiev urgently requests Taurus cruise missiles. But Chancellor Scholz is holding back. Different signals are coming from the Union.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been reluctant to hand over Taurus cruise missiles to the Ukraine voiced. The SPD politician said in the ZDF “summer interview” that, as in the past, the federal government will examine every single decision very carefully – what’s going, what makes sense, what the German contribution could be.
Over the weekend, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had once again urgently asked for the weapon system and assured that it would not be used against Russian territory.
The Taurus cruise missiles are capable of destroying bunkers and protected command posts up to 500 kilometers away. Because of the long range, there is concern that they could also be used to reach targets in Russia. On the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, Kuleba made a clear statement regarding the Taurus and the similar ATACMS weapon system requested by the United States: “Both will only be used within our borders.”
Kuleba is pushing for delivery
At the same time, Kuleba put pressure on the delivery of this weapon system. Ukraine needs it “to save more lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and to speed up the liberation of their areas,” he told “Bild am Sonntag”. “The formula is simple: a longer range of the missiles means a shorter duration of the war.” 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.”
Chancellor Scholz emphasized on ZDF that Germany would continue to make things difficult. According to his impression, the people in Germany find that very correct. The Chancellor made it clear that Germany is the country that supports Ukraine the most after the USA. SPD leader Saskia Esken said in the ARD “summer 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.
Ukraine already has cruise missiles from Britain and France. The country has been defending itself against Russian war of aggression for more than 17 months.
votes from the Union
Different signals are coming from the Union parties as to whether Taurus cruise missiles should be delivered to Ukraine. CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen told the newspapers of the Funke media group: “To refuse Ukraine this possible and necessary support, in contrast to France and Great Britain, would be completely incomprehensible and irresponsible.” The delivery of Taurus cruise missiles is morally and politically urgent. CDU foreign affairs expert Roderich Kieswetter said on Deutschlandfunk radio that he saw the risks in not delivering Taurus because otherwise Ukraine would continue to be inferior in air defense.
Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, meanwhile, opposed Taurus deliveries to the Ukraine. “Do we really want to accept that German missiles could hit Russia? I am clearly against the delivery of cruise missiles,” wrote the CDU politician on Sunday on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The daily horror and dying demand “new, intensive diplomatic initiatives from the free West”.