Scholz: only German military should choose targets for Taurus missiles
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted that only German military personnel can determine targets for Taurus cruise missiles, reinforcing his refusal to provide Ukraine with these weapons, German media outlet NTV reported on May 24.
“It is problematic to transfer a weapon with a range of 500 kilometers and such precision,” said the chancellor.
“From the perspective of the supplying country [Germany], it would be justified to deliver it only if we ourselves set and determine the targets.”
Scholz then ruled out sending German officers to Ukraine to facilitate this target selection process. In his view, this would make Berlin a co-belligerent in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
"The responsibility is this: we support Ukraine in its defensive struggle, but we will not allow the war to escalate into a war between Russia and NATO," he concluded.
Read also: Germany’s long-range Taurus missiles are a potent weapon that could make Ukrainian lives easier
Ukraine has long asked for German-made Taurus missiles that have significant advantages over Anglo-French Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles. Possessing a stockpile of 600 missiles, Berlin has repeatedly refused the Ukrainian requests.
Scholz is not alone on this matter: the German parliament has twice failed to pass a resolution urging to equip Ukraine with Taurus missiles.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
