“Germany will not change its position on providing the Taurus long-range missile system to Kiev” – newspaper Telegraph quoted the speech of German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz at a press conference after talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Berlin on April 24.
Prime Minister Scholz explained that so far Berlin has spent $30 billion to support Kiev with air defense systems, tanks and ammunition. However, Germany is concerned that Taurus cruise missiles could be used to attack deep inside Moscow.
“To ensure that the Taurus missile system is used responsibly, German soldiers must be present in Ukraine. This would mark a huge escalation in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine” – journalist German leaders emphasized.
German Chancellor Scholz refused to provide Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine. Photo: Euro News
The German leadership’s refusal to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles took place in the context that the US and UK both sent their latest weapons to Kiev.
Washington said on April 24 that at the direction of President Joe Biden, it had transferred to Kiev long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for use in Ukrainian territory.
On the same day, April 24, British officials confirmed that London had transferred Paveway IV laser-guided bombs to Ukraine.
Confirmation from the UK and US took place almost simultaneously with President Biden signing a law providing new aid worth $61 billion to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Scholz described the move from the US side as “an encouraging and necessary signal”.
Taurus is an air-launched cruise missile produced by the German-Swedish joint venture company Taurus Systems GmbH. This missile is currently used in the armies of Germany, Spain and South Korea.
The Taurus missile weighs about 1,400 kg, carries a warhead weighing 480 kg, and has a range of 500 km.
Taurus long-range cruise missile. Photo: Rferl
Despite refusing to provide these weapons, Prime Minister Scholz still called on Europe to increase help to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Sunak in Berlin announced that Britain would increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade.
Britain and Germany are the European countries providing the largest military aid to Ukraine since the outbreak of the conflict in late February 2022. Both leaders of both countries vowed to maintain aid to Ukraine “as long as necessary”.
