Germany doesn’t refuse to give Taurus to Ukraine but there is a nuance

Germany has not refused to provide Ukraine with Taurus long-range cruise missiles, but all the necessary procedures have not yet been completed to approve the decision.

This is reported with reference to the statement of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in his joint interview with his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu to Le Monde.

"No, we are not giving up cruise missiles. We are considering the request and its consequences. For example, legal or technical aspects must be taken into account. I know that this takes time... It is our duty to carefully consider all the issues," Pistorius said, adding that he realizes how useful they can be to Ukrainian soldiers.

Pistorius noted that Taurus is a very long-range system. Asked whether Germany is not satisfied with Kyiv's commitment not to use these missiles outside the territory of Ukraine, the defense minister explained that "the commitment is of course very important, but it is not the only factor in the verification".

As a reminder, Germany has been discussing the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine in recent months. The Armed Forces of Ukraine need appropriate weapons to strike at the rear positions of the Russian occupiers.

On September 15, Pistorius confirmed that a decision on the transfer could be made within one to two weeks. However, earlier it was reported that only Chancellor Olaf Scholz was blocking the delivery.

Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 22/09/2023