Opposition leader: Scholz to eventually approve Taurus missile transfer to Ukraine

Despite German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's refusal to provide Ukraine with Taurus missiles, the head of the center-right Christian democratic CDU/CSU parliamentary union, Torsten Fry, believes that Scholz will eventually agree to this step, German NTVreported on March 21.

"I can certainly imagine that one day the Chancellor will also come to the point to do this,” he said.

“Because it seems to me indisputable that Taurus is the cruise missile that best meets the needs of Ukraine," which is to hit Russian supply lines and thus "provide some relief" to repel Russian attacks.

Read also: German Taurus missiles would significantly boost Ukraine's capabilities – UAF

"This is necessary because the Ukrainians have to make do with a fraction [of the amount] of ammunition that the Russians have."

Ukraine has requested long-range weaponry from its partners to target objectives deep within Russia-occupied territory. While some countries, such as the UK with Storm Shadow cruise missiles and France with SCALP missiles, have already supplied such arms, Germany, possessing around 600 Taurus cruise missiles, has delayed action.

Berlin has not outright denied Ukraine the Taurus missiles but has not been ready to provide them, possibly due to Scholz’s hesitations, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in September 2023.

Read also: Schröder backs Scholz to withhold Taurus to Ukraine

Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it will not use Western long-range missiles to strike Russian territory.

The Bundestag has twice failed support a draft resolution calling for the supply of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine on Jan. 17, with only 178 out of 666 MPs voting in favor. On Feb. 22, the Bundestag voted to supply Ukraine with "long-range weapons," but did not mention the Taurus.

Read also: Taurus, Storm Shadow, or ATACMS – West competes to see which missile will destroy Crimean bridge

On Feb. 5, Christian Freuding, head of the Special Staff for Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defense, said that long-range Taurus missiles cannot turn the tide of war in favor of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on March 9 in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung that the country was ready to consider all options, including an exchange in which Germany would provide Britain with Taurus missiles and the United Kingdom, for its part, would supply Ukraine with more Storm Shadow missiles.

Read also: Germany may provide Ukraine with modified Taurus missiles – media reports

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that she was open to Cameron’s proposal for a circular exchange.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was, however, skeptical of the idea of a circular exchange of British Storm Shadow missiles for German Taurus missiles, and Scholz also rejected the idea.

Russians leaked a conversation in March among German top generals discussing a potential Ukrainian strike with Taurus missiles on the Crimean Bridge, illegally built by Russia. This became one of the most discussed topics in Germany for some time.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine