Germany bolsters Kyiv defense but withholds Taurus missiles
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made an unannounced visit to Kyiv. During talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he assured continued support for Kyiv and announced further weapons deliveries, which will not include long-range Taurus cruise missiles.
"Bild" recalls that this concerns weapons that Ukrainian authorities have been seeking for several months. The position of the German authorities remains unchanged, as do the arguments used by Olaf Scholz.
Taurus missiles not for Ukraine
"So the firm no remains. The Chancellor believes it is too dangerous. Scholz thinks that if Ukraine launched a German Taurus deep into Russia, the war could escalate," wrote the German newspaper.
The Taurus missiles are characterized by a length of 4.9 metres and a weight of approximately 1,400 kilograms, of which about 500 kilograms is the MEPHISTO warhead (Multi-Effect Penetrator, Highly Sophisticated and Target Optimized). It offers high destructive power, while also featuring a unique design and capabilities not found in competing solutions. It can be detonated not only like a classic fragmentation bomb but also acts as a "bunker buster" when detonated with a delay after piercing a user-defined number of obstacles.
Very important features of these German missiles are also stealth technology, as well as a range of approximately 500 kilometres. The ability to strike targets hundreds of kilometres away is often cited by the German authorities as a reason for not transferring this weapon to Ukraine.
Germany remains an important ally of Ukraine
Olaf Scholz and Volodymyr Zelensky agreed that Germany has been and continues to be an important ally of Ukraine. Another proof of the ongoing support for Kyiv is a new aid package prepared by Berlin. Its value reaches 650 million euros.
As the German Chancellor emphasized, in December, Ukraine will receive a sixth IRIS-T air defence system and Patriot launchers. The German authorities are particularly committed to strengthening Ukraine's air defence.
- Supporting air defence remains crucial for us. We have already delivered five IRIS-T systems, three Patriot systems, and over 50 Gepard guns. [...] The sixth IRIS-T system will be delivered in December, along with additional Patriot launchers - announced Scholz.
