James Rothwell, our Berlin Correspondent, writes:
German chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition partners have vented their frustration in the media over his refusal to provide Ukraine with the Taurus missile system.
Speaking to Die Welt, the Bundestag’s defence committee chairman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said it was not the case that German troops would need to be deployed to Ukraine for the system to operate – as Mr Scholz has repeatedly suggested.
Ms Strack-Zimmermann, of the FDP party, argued that the necessary programming of the system could be done in Germany, or Ukrainian soldiers could travel to Germany for full training in how to use Taurus.
She then pointed out that German-made weaponry is already being used in Ukraine, which undermined Mr Scholz’s argument that Berlin could not risk becoming “directly or indirectly” involved in the war.
“If that is the argument, we would have to immediately withdraw all automatic weapons that respond to attacks,” she said.
Katrin Göring-Eckardt, the vice-president of the Greens, another coalition partner, also criticised Mr Scholz.
“No one who is calling for Taurus missiles to be sent to Ukraine wants Germany to become a party to the war,” she said.
Mr Scholz has repeatedly ruled out sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine as he fears this would be interpreted by Vladimir Putin as an unacceptable escalation in the war. He is particularly concerned about the long-range missiles being used on targets deep inside Russia.
The UK has already provided the Ukrainian army with Storm Shadows, which are very similar to Taurus missiles, and which has caused further scrutiny of Mr Scholz’s position.
