German Chancellor Merz Signals Increased Military Support for Ukraine, Amidst Taurus Missile Debate
Following a press conference with Swedish prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated intensified efforts to provide Ukraine with ”long-range fire” capabilities.he stated the Ukrainian army is currently being equipped with such weapons systems, but declined to provide specific details regarding arms deliveries to Kyiv, citing a deliberate strategy to maintain “a certain lack of clarity vis-à-vis the Russian side” regarding the extent of german military support.
Merz affirmed Germany is ”doing everything we can to equip the Ukrainian army with weapons systems that have the appropriate range,” suggesting a potential increase in support, including bolstering weapons system production within Ukraine, in the coming weeks and months.
This statement has reignited discussion surrounding the potential delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. The Taurus, with a range of up to 500 kilometers, has been a point of contention, as previous German leadership, including former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, resisted supplying them due to concerns about potentially escalating the conflict and Germany being implicated in strikes deep within Russian territory – specifically, the potential to target Moscow, which lies approximately 500 kilometers from Ukraine’s northern border.
While Merz’s comments suggest a possible shift in approach,he has not explicitly confirmed the delivery of Taurus missiles. During his election campaign, Merz expressed openness to supplying the missiles, but later announced a policy of withholding information about weapons provided to Ukraine following a visit to Kyiv.Currently, there is no publicly available information confirming the presence or use of the Taurus missile within Ukraine.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius recently declined to comment on the possibility of supplying Taurus missiles when questioned after a meeting of the Group of Five defense ministers.
Alongside the discussion of the taurus, merz’s statements highlighted Germany’s financial support for the Ukrainian defense industry, specifically focusing on the production of long-range weapons systems. A May 28th press release from the German Defence Ministry announced Germany will finance the production of these systems in Ukraine, with the expectation that a “considerable number” will be available to the Ukrainian armed forces as early as 2025, with some deployable within weeks.
the specific weapon systems being financed remain undisclosed.However, Ukraine’s Fire Point defense company recently unveiled its domestically produced Flamingo cruise missile, boasting a range of up to 3,000 kilometers. It remains unclear whether German funding is contributing to the advancement or production of the flamingo missile program.
