Incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously voiced his support for supplying Taurus missiles to Kiev, a move opposed by the current government.
According to The Telegraph, the UK would support Germany should it decide to provide Ukraine with Taurus long-range cruise missiles, citing sources within the British government.
The report indicates that London has been a long-time advocate for equipping Kiev with the German-made weapons, which boast a 500km range and the capability to strike targets deep within Russia. Moscow has cautioned that the provision of long-range missiles to Kiev, enabling strikes on Russian territory, would be viewed as an escalation of the conflict.
A British foreign policy official, commenting on the potential Taurus deliveries, told the outlet: “We continue to work with our partners, including Germany, to equip Ukraine as best we can to defend its sovereign territory.”
The report is prompted by recent statements from incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, suggesting his willingness to supply Taurus missiles to Kiev.
“I have always said that I would do it,” Merz stated on German state broadcaster ARD on Sunday.
“Our European partners are already supplying cruise missiles… The British are doing it, the French are doing it, and the Americans are doing it,” he added, referring to the UK’s Storm Shadow and France’s Scalp missiles.
Merz emphasized that the decision must be agreed upon with Berlin’s European partners. His CDU party has suggested the missiles could be used to target Russian command centers and supply routes, including the Kerch Bridge to Crimea.
Merz’s position contrasts sharply with that of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has consistently refused to provide Kiev with Taurus missiles, warning that such a move could escalate the conflict and directly involve Germany in a war with Moscow.
Merz is anticipated to assume office in May, pending the finalization of a coalition agreement between his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD). CDU defense spokesman Roderich Kiesewetter told The Telegraph that the missile delivery issue “remains a point of contention” in coalition talks.
SPD members have voiced concerns regarding the Taurus’ range and power, arguing that it carries a greater risk of escalation than British or French systems. Party leader Matthias Miersch suggested this week that Merz might reconsider his stance upon receiving classified intelligence on the missiles.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, an SPD member, has previously stated that there are “many good arguments” against the delivery, citing confidential national security concerns.
Moscow has repeatedly asserted that Western arms supplies will not deter it from achieving its objectives in the Ukraine conflict and that such deliveries only prolong the conflict and impede peace efforts.
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