German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Berlin’s decision not to send long-range missiles to Ukraine on 13 September, even as other Western powers discussed allowing Kyiv more freedom to use such weapons against Russian targets, AFP reports.
Despite Ukraine’s appeals, Western countries, including the US and the UK, have restricted Ukraine’s use of their long-range weapons like ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles to prevent deep strikes inside Russia. This is allegedly aimed at avoiding escalation. Meanwhile, Germany has been refusing to send Ukraine its Taurus missiles for months.
Scholz stated: “Germany has made a clear decision about what we will do and what we will not do. This decision will not change,” he said, addressing questions about providing Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles. The Chancellor’s statement came as US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer were set to meet in Washington to discuss potentially allowing Ukraine to fire Western-provided long-range missiles into Russia. This option has heightened tensions with Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning that such a move would mean NATO was “at war” with Russia.
While the United States and Britain have supplied Ukraine with ATACMS and Storm Shadow long-range missiles respectively, Germany has consistently refused to send its Taurus missiles, citing concerns about “escalating” the conflict.
Earlier, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius commented that what the US and Britain agree upon “remains their business,” adding that allowing Ukraine to strike targets in Russia would be “fully in line with international law.”
Despite being the second-largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, Germany plans to halve its budget for that aid next year.
Related:
– Trudeau: Canada fully supports Ukraine using long-range weaponry in Russia
– Media: Scholz’s peace plan suggests Ukraine cede territory to Russia
– UK quietly approves Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow missiles in Russia, US may lift similar restrictions, The Guardian says
– Ukraine needs long-range weapons, permission to hit targets deep inside Russia, Zelenskyy says at Ramstein
– No Taurus for Ukraine while Scholz reigns, claims foreign policy expert
– Bundestag defense chair backs Germany’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike Russian military targets
– The myth must die; there can be no security in Europe with Russia
– Polish FM: If Putin wins, he’ll mobilize Ukraine’s people and industry to continue war, like Hitler did with Czechoslovakia
– Scholz’s refusal to give Ukraine Taurus missile “increasingly incomprehensible,” Munich Security Conference chief says.
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