Merz says it is "no longer necessary" to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles
According to a report by Reference News on March 28, Agence France-Presse reported on March 25 that German Chancellor Merz stated on the 25th that it is no longer necessary to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles to help it defend against Russia. This issue has long been controversial in Berlin.
Kyiv has consistently sought to obtain this type of missile, but Berlin has repeatedly refused to make a public commitment, fearing that such a move would escalate tensions with Russia.
During his time in opposition, Merz himself promised to provide Ukraine with the missile, but since taking office as Chancellor in May of last year, he has abandoned that position.
In response to a question from a lawmaker on the 25th, Merz stated that his initial remarks were made "in a different context," at which time he "believed that there were enough Taurus missiles in the Bundeswehr's inventory that could be made available to Ukraine."
He also noted that Ukraine's progress in domestic weapon development has rendered the debate over the Taurus missiles meaningless.
Merz stated, "Today, Ukraine's own arsenal is equipped with long-range weapons that are produced independently, with some assistance from us, and are far more effective than the limited number of Taurus missiles we could have provided."
Merz said, "In terms of weapon technology, Ukraine's development has far surpassed the level we discussed at the outbreak of the war."
Merz mentioned that although Ukraine's "weapons are now more sophisticated than ever," it still faces "considerable financial difficulties." He said, "We need to raise funds for Ukraine so that these weapons can continue to be produced." (Translated by Zhu Jie)
German Chancellor Merz announced that there is no longer a necessity to supply Ukraine with Taurus long-range missiles as of March 25, 2023. He noted that Ukraine has made significant advancements in its own weapon development, rendering the previous discussions about the missiles irrelevant. Despite the improvements in Ukraine's military capabilities, Merz highlighted ongoing financial challenges for sustaining weapon production.
- German Chancellor Merz stated no need for Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
- Merz previously promised to provide these missiles but changed his stance since taking office.
- Ukraine has made progress in developing its own weapons.
- Merz emphasized the effectiveness of Ukraine's domestically produced weapons.
- Funding is still a significant issue for Ukraine's military capabilities.