Several German politicians are pressing for the government to supply Ukraine with cruise missiles, DW reports. Opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) deputy Roderich Kiesewetter insists that Berlin should “immediately” provide Kyiv with long-range Taurus missiles.
Kiesewetter emphasized that the Bundeswehr, the unified armed forces of Germany, has around 600 Taurus missiles in its arsenal, of which approximately 450 are not combat-ready but could be upgraded by the MBDA company and prepared for delivery to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Marcus Faber, an expert from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) which is part of the ruling coalition, highlighted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have successfully deployed Storm Shadow missiles provided by the UK. He argues that this underscores the importance of such weaponry for Ukraine as it defends against a full-scale Russian invasion.
The call to supply the Ukrainian Army with Taurus missiles has also been echoed by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Oleksiy Makeiev. He urged that this time, the discussion phase should be cut short to save human lives, referencing lengthy debates in Germany concerning the provision of other weaponry, notably Leopard tanks.
However, the German Ministry of Defense reaffirmed its refusal to supply Ukraine with missiles. A representative of the ministry referred to a statement by the country’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, who made it clear that there will be no provision of Taurus missiles to the UAF.
Since May, Ukraine has repeatedly requested Germany to supply Taurus missiles. This includes a conversation on the topic between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. However, the German government has resisted, as the missiles could reach Russian territory.
The Taurus KEPD 350 is a German-Swedish air-launched cruise missile, manufactured by Taurus Systems, a collaboration between MBDA Germany and Saab Dynamics. Taurus missiles are designed for precision strikes against heavily fortified targets and have a range of around 500 km. These missiles can carry a 481 kg warhead and employ a stealthy design to evade radar detection.
Additionally, they are equipped with a dual-stage warhead that can penetrate several meters of hardened concrete before detonating, making them especially effective against bunkers and other reinforced structures. Taurus missiles are in service with the air forces of Germany, Spain, and South Korea.
