‘It Could Lead to Participation in War’ – Scholz Defends Refusal to Send Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine

Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated Germany's refusal to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine on Monday, Feb. 26, stating that the country would not follow the UK and France in providing Ukraine with long-range missiles.

Scholz's repeated refusals to send German Taurus missiles to Ukraine come despite domestic pressure and urgent calls from Kyiv, which is struggling to fend off Russia's ongoing invasion.

“German soldiers must not be linked at any point or place to the targets that this system reaches,” Scholz insisted, offering a direct explanation for Berlin's decision during a conference organized by the German press agency DPA.

“This is a very long-range weapon, and what the British and French are doing in terms of targeting and supporting targeting cannot be done in Germany,” he said.

“In my view, it would be unjustifiable if we were to participate in targeting in the same way,” Scholz said.

That said, Germany is Ukraine's second-biggest weapons donor, behind only the United States.

While Berlin has provided air defense systems, tanks, combat vehicles, and artillery to aid Ukraine's defense, concerns persist regarding the potential use of Taurus missiles to hit targets deep within Russia.

France and Britain have supplied Kyiv with SCALP or Storm Shadow missiles, both with a range of about 250 kilometers (155 miles). In contrast, Taurus missiles can fly up to twice as far, reaching targets up to 500 kilometers away.

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Ukraine has been pleading for more ammunition and armaments as its troops struggle to hold back Russian forces.

“Deficits of artillery and long-range capabilities” in Ukraine are handing Moscow an advantage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged during the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.

However, Scholz has remained steadfast in his refusal.

“I'm surprised that some people... don't even think about whether what we're doing could lead to a participation in the war,” Scholz said.

In the absence of further support from the US whilst Ukraine aid stalls in Congress, Scholz has ramped up calls for other EU nations to increase their assistance to bolster Kyiv's defenses.