German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again refused to transfer Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, stressing that the main priority is to prevent any conflict between Russia and NATO. He stated that it would be a mistake to supply weapons that could be used for strikes deep in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Scholz said this in a comment for the TV channel n-tv. The chancellor emphasized that under his leadership, Germany has become the second largest military partner of Ukraine, but opposes the use of the provided weapons for strikes on the territory of Russia.
“I am convinced that the supply of weapons that would allow strikes deep into the territory of the Russian Federation would be the wrong decision. We must at all costs avoid an escalation that could lead to a direct conflict between NATO and Russia.” – said Scholz.
He also noted that Germany will continue to make informed decisions, even if it attracts criticism.
We remind you that this position is not new. Scholz consistently refuses to transfer long-range weapons to Ukraine. At the same time, his point of view is not shared by all German politicians. In particular, the leader of the CDU/CSU opposition bloc, Friedrich Mertz, expressed the opinion that Ukraine should be provided with Taurus missiles, but only after this decision has been agreed with the United States.
Taurus missiles are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 500 kilometers, which would allow Ukraine to significantly expand its defense capabilities. However, their use for strikes on the territory of Russia raises serious concerns in the German government, as it could lead to a serious escalation of the war.
Despite criticism from some political figures, Scholz insists on his cautious stance, aimed at avoiding any risk of the conflict expanding to a scale that could affect NATO countries.
