German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has defended Berlin’s refusal to provide Ukraine with Taurus long-range munitions.
Pistorius stated that supplying Ukraine with Taurus air-launched cruise missiles wouldn’t significantly alter the battlefield situation.
During a Sunday interview with ARD, the defense minister offered his remarks amid concerns among some EU officials that a potential Trump presidency could halt military aid to Ukraine.
“There are national security and NATO strategic considerations regarding the Taurus that we shouldn’t discuss publicly,” Pistorius said in response to questions about reconsidering Germany’s decision. The missiles have a range of 500 km (310 miles).
“Moreover, the Taurus wouldn’t be a game-changer. Our priority is ensuring Ukraine’s continued sustainable supply of aid,” the minister emphasized.
In September, Chancellor Olaf Scholz cautioned that providing Ukraine with cruise missiles would equate to direct German involvement in the conflict with Russia.
“Delivering them would only be justifiable if we ourselves determined and defined the targets, which isn’t possible without direct participation in the conflict,” he explained.
Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Friday for the first time in almost two years, with Scholz reiterating Berlin’s commitment to supporting Kiev.
The German leader faces a no-confidence vote and a potential snap election early next year following the collapse of the ruling coalition over budget disputes. Berlin has redirected billions of euros from domestic spending to aid Ukraine.
Pistorius’s interview followed reports that US President Biden reversed the previous policy against Ukraine using American-made ATACMS missiles to strike targets within Russia’s internationally recognized territory. Putin previously warned that expanding strikes with Western long-range weapons would “alter the conflict’s nature” and indicate direct NATO participation in attacks on Russia.