Incoming German Defense Minister casts doubt on sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine
Photo: Boris Pistorius, head of the German Defense Ministry (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius remains skeptical about the possibility of supplying Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, Tagesschau reports.
Speaking at a Social Democratic Party (SPD) event in Hanover, the minister responded to CDU leader Friedrich Merz’s recent statement, in which Merz suggested that sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine should be tied to an agreement at the European level.
"I don’t know of any European partner who possesses such a system. So coordination is not that simple," Pistorius said.
He also rejected claims that he has always supported transferring the German-made missiles to Ukraine.
"I never said that," the minister stated.
According to Pistorius, there are strong arguments in favor of supplying Taurus missiles, but there are also “many and good arguments against it.” Only some of these, he noted, can be discussed publicly.
It is worth noting that Pistorius is expected to remain in office in Friedrich Merz’s incoming government.
Position of future Chancellor Merz
CDU leader Friedrich Merz has expressed support for supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Previously, the German government firmly rejected such military assistance. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had cited various reasons for refusing, including concerns that the missiles could strike Moscow.
Recently, Merz emphasized that the transfer of such missiles should be jointly coordinated, though he did not provide specific details.
So far, since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has received long-range missiles only from the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.
Notably, military expert Ivan Stupak previously told RBC-Ukraine’s YouTube channel that Germany might supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles with a range of 299 kilometers.
