Germany to transfer long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine
Germany has committed to transferring long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild on Aug. 26.
According to him, he is optimistic about the Taurus issue and envisions Germany providing Ukraine with these missiles in the future.
“Germany has proven to be a steadfast partner for Ukraine in this conflict, and we have already benefited from their provision of advanced equipment,” Reznikov remarked.
He underlined that the acquisition process would not be protracted.
“While the logistics are intricate, I believe we won’t have to wait for a full year,” assured the minister.
Earlier, on Aug. 13, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba underscored that the introduction of Taurus missiles to Ukraine’s arsenal would not contribute to an escalation of the conflict. He called on Germany to facilitate the arms transfer to Kyiv.
Reports emerged on Aug. 10 that Germany’s ruling party had granted approval, symbolized as a “green light,” from the country’s Air Force to proceed with delivering the Taurus missiles.
Markus Faber, Chair of the Defense Policy Committee of the Bundestag and representative of the Free Democratic Party, emphasized on July 26 the vital importance of equipping Ukraine’s Defense Forces with the long-range Taurus missiles.
However, discordant voices were also present within Germany’s leadership. On Aug. 3, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius reiterated that Germany would withhold this weaponry from Ukraine, citing the parallel restraint exercised by the United States in providing long-range missiles to the Ukrainian army.
Amidst these internal debates, the Social Democratic Party of Germany has found proponents for the arms transfer. Notably, two members of the party expressed their advocacy for supplying long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, as highlighted by the German newspaper Der Spiegel on Aug. 6.
