**Germany’s Merz Promises Decisive Strategy on Ukraine**
German Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz wants to coordinate closely with the US and European partners to deliver Taurus missiles to Ukraine. He made this statement in an interview with Bild on December 9.
According to Merz, training Ukrainian personnel for these missiles would take at least four months. This means that the process would not be completed before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump’s return to the White House has caused concern among Kyiv’s partners in Europe, as he signaled a decrease in military support for Ukraine.
**Merz Visits Kyiv**
During his visit to Kyiv, Merz met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and promised a more decisive strategy on long-range strikes against Russia. He said that Ukraine’s army should be capable of hitting military bases in Russia, not civilian population or infrastructure.
Merz previously voiced support for providing Taurus missiles to Ukraine, which Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to do, fearing it would draw Germany into war. Merz emphasized that he agrees with Scholz on this point but argued that other countries like the US and UK have provided similar weapons without becoming belligerents.
**Ukraine’s Military Aid**
Ukraine currently fields US ATACMS and SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles from France and the UK, with Washington and London recently permitting strikes within Russian territory. Merz wants to provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine as part of a coordinated effort with European partners.
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