Germany's ruling coalition backs transfer of Taurus to Ukraine in EU parliament

During the European Parliament session in Strasbourg, politicians from the SPD, FDP, and Greens mostly voted in favor of a resolution stating that Kyiv needs the aforementioned missiles. This occurred against the backdrop of the Bundestag deputies' failure to decide on transferring Taurus to Ukraine on March 14.

The vote in the European Parliament was on a resolution regarding "the necessity of unwavering EU support for Ukraine." In point 11 of the document, it was emphasized that: "The country especially needs advanced air defense systems, long-range cruise missiles such as Taurus, Storm Shadow and Scalp systems, modern combat aircraft, various types of artillery and ammunition, as well as drones."

According to the publication, during the vote:

• 451 deputies supported the resolution;
• 46 opposed;
• 49 abstained. Among them, representatives of the FDP and Greens unanimously voted for the resolution.

"The vote in Strasbourg shows how isolated the traffic light government in Berlin is with its line. Despite the fact that we, CDU/CSU, welcome the votes of MEPs from the SPD, Greens, and FDP, presenting opposing positions in Brussels and Berlin is deceiving the voters," said the head of the CDU/CSU group in the European Parliament, Daniel Caspari.

Taurus for Ukraine

Last year, Ukraine requested long-range Taurus missiles from Germany, capable of destroying targets up to 500 kilometers away.

However, Berlin refuses to transfer them. Chancellor Olaf Scholz himself is against it - he explained that such deliveries supposedly require the presence of German soldiers on the ground.

Scholz also claimed that if the Taurus missiles were provided to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, they could hit one of the targets in Moscow if "used incorrectly."