German Taurus missiles. Photo: bundeswehr.de.
European Parliament Speaker Roberta Mecola has called on Germany to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles as soon as possible to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the Time Ukraine Israel portal, citing DW, Metzola stressed that the intensification of Russian attacks creates a critical need for modern weapons for the Ukrainian army.
In an interview with the German media group Funke, Metsola clearly supported the provision of long-range missiles to Ukraine. She responded positively to the question of whether states that support Ukraine should be allowed to use these missiles to strike military targets in Russia, and called on Berlin to provide Ukraine with Taurus missiles.
“Yes, this is in line with the position of the European Parliament, and we see broad support for such an initiative,” Metzola said, hinting that a possible adjustment to Germany’s policy on this issue could take place after the Bundestag elections.
Disagreements within the German coalition over Taurus missiles
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who represents the Social Democratic Party, is cautious about providing Ukraine with Taurus missiles, expressing concern about a possible escalation and a possible military confrontation between NATO and Russia. However, not all German coalition partners support this position: representatives of the Union 90/Greens party are in favour of providing Ukraine with these weapons.
Amid these disagreements, Metzola noted that a change of position could occur even before the elections, as there are different opinions within the government coalition in Berlin on the transfer of missiles. She stressed that the Ukrainian military is under considerable pressure due to the escalation of hostilities and the intensification of Russian missile attacks, which have led to significant losses among the civilian population of Ukraine.
Approval of missile support from the opposition and the US
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union, also expressed support for the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, but under certain conditions, stressing the importance of controlling the use of these weapons. The debate on supporting Ukraine with Taurus missiles intensified after the US authorised the use of long-range ATACMS missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia. These missiles have a range of up to 300 km, while the Taurus missiles that Germany could potentially provide are capable of hitting targets up to 500 km away.
The situation remains tense, and Germany’s decision could have a significant impact on the course of the war and the strengthening of Ukraine’s defence capabilities in the face of an escalating conflict.
