German Opposition Leader Proposes 'Gradual' Transfer Of Taurus Missiles To Ukraine
Date
10/14/2024 7:08:14 PM
(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The leader of the largest opposition party in the Bundestag, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, has proposed a 'gradual' transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, an idea strongly opposed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The CDU leader, who intends to run for the chancellorship in the next parliamentary elections, made this suggestion during a talk show on the ARD channel, according to Ukrinform.
"I wouldn't do it all at once. I would say: if the bombing doesn't stop, the first step would be to lift the range restriction, and the second step would be the delivery of Taurus missiles. Then it would depend on Putin how far he wants to escalate this war," Merz stated.
He also believes that the decision to supply Taurus missiles should be made at the European level.
The conservative leader criticized Scholz's government for lacking a strategic vision regarding Ukraine policy.
Read also: Germany to
provide EUR 4B in
military support to
Ukraine in
2025 -
Scholz
Merz pledged that in the upcoming elections (scheduled for September 2025), he will advocate for increased spending on defense, emphasizing that Germany and Europe need to become more self-reliant for security, reducing dependence on the United States.
"Currently, Russia is rearming to the point that in five to eight years, it could potentially attack NATO territory," Merz warned, adding that Germany and the West were wrong to assume that Putin would not invade Ukraine.
As previously reported, Ukraine requested cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometers from Berlin in May 2023. However, Chancellor Scholz categorically rejected the idea, citing the risk of drawing Germany and NATO into the conflict, despite calls from many politicians to proceed with the delivery.
MENAFN14102024000193011044ID1108778011
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.