German Chancellor: "No longer necessary" to provide Ukraine with "Giant Taurus" missiles

Ask AI · How are developments in Ukraine’s homegrown weapons affecting Germany’s decisions on military aid?

Reference News Network March 28 report According to a March 25 report by Agence France-Presse, on March 25 German Chancellor Scholz said there is no longer any need for Germany to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles to help it fend off Russia. This issue has been a point of long-standing controversy in Berlin.

Kyiv has long wanted to obtain missiles of this type, but Berlin has refused to publicly commit, fearing that doing so would escalate tensions with Russia.

During his time in opposition, Scholz himself had promised to provide Ukraine with the missile, but since taking office as chancellor in May of last year, he has backed away from that position.

On the 25th, when responding to questions from lawmakers, Scholz said his earlier remarks were made “in a different context.” At the time, he “believed that there were sufficient numbers of Taurus missiles in the Bundeswehr’s inventory that could be put into use and provided to Ukraine.”

He also said that Ukraine’s progress in developing indigenous weapons has made the debate over Taurus missiles meaningless.

Scholz said: “Today, Ukraine’s own arsenal already includes long-range weapons that it manufactures independently, and to a certain extent it has received our support, and they are far more effective than the small number of Taurus missiles we could originally have provided.”

Scholz said: “In terms of weapons technology, Ukraine’s development has long since gone beyond the level we were discussing at the beginning of the war.”

Scholz said that although Ukraine’s “weapons are now more advanced than at any time before,” it still faces “significant funding difficulties.” He said: “We need to raise funds for Ukraine so that these weapons can continue to be produced.” (Compiled/ Zhu Jie)