BERLIN, April 14. /TASS/. Acting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has not altered his stance on the potential supply of Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev, German Government Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit informed reporters at a briefing.
Scholz has consistently opposed the supply of Taurus missiles, stating that the effective deployment of these missiles would require the involvement of German military personnel, which is a red line he is unwilling to cross.
"His stance on this issue remains unchanged," the cabinet spokesperson emphasized.
German Defense Ministry Spokesperson Natalie Jenning, in turn, noted that the ministry preferred not to speculate on the subject.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s conservatives who is expected to take charge of the country’s government in May, did not rule out that Taurus cruise missiles could be delivered to Kiev if an agreement was reached with EU partners. He stated that although Ukrainian forces were on the defensive, they should have the ability to target Russian army supply lines. He specifically mentioned the Crimea Bridge in this context.
Kiev has long urged Berlin to provide Taurus missiles. These are considered comparable to the UK's Storm Shadows, which have already been supplied to Ukraine. However, the Taurus has a greater range than the Storm Shadow. As Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked at the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s summit in Moscow on November 28, 2024, Moscow has repeatedly cautioned that the use of Western-made long-range weapons inside Russia would signify NATO’s direct involvement in the conflict.
