Military

German Foreign Minister Says Taurus Missile Deliveries to Kiev Challenging

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday that the supply of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine is challenging as it takes time to agree on every detail.
Sputnik
"This is not something that can be done quickly as it was with Leopard tanks or IRIS-T air defense systems. Every detail needs to be clarified first," Baerbock said in an interview with German media group Funke.
The foreign minister noted that Kiev's request for the transfer of Taurus cruise missiles is "more than understandable," although she declined to answer whether she considers it necessary to limit their strike range.
World
Scholz Says Germany Reluctant to Drag NATO Into Conflict as Ukraine Awaits Taurus Missiles
In late August, the leader of Germany's conservative Christian Democrats, Friedrich Merz, said that he was in favor of giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine. However, he stressed that the strike range of the missiles should be limited to make them a purely defensive weapon.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in August that he was not rushing to approve cruise missile deliveries to Ukraine for fear of dragging NATO into a war with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pressing Germany for Taurus missiles, which have a range of 500 kilometers (311 miles) and can strike deep inside the Russian territory.
Discuss