BERLIN, January 7. /TASS/. Leader of Germany’s Christian Social Union (CSU), Prime Minister of Bavaria Markus Soeder called to hand over Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev, following the example of a number of representatives of other German parties.
After obtaining such weapons, Ukraine "will be able to repel constant drone and missile attacks," he said, speaking at the land party meeting in Bavaria. According to the politician, this is "the only chance for Ukraine to find new courage and for the Russians not to win." He claimed that, if Russia prevails and the US distances itself from international crises more than it does now, then Germany and the EU will face a "real security problem."
On Saturday, a number of representatives of the Greens, the Free Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) called to hand over Taurus missiles to Kiev. Meanwhile, some German politicians openly called to carry out strikes at facilities in Russia.
Kiev has been asking Berlin to ship these missiles for a long time, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reacted to such requests with restraint and eventually decided not do that for a while earlier October. He said it repeatedly that all arms shipments are being negotiated with the partners, including ones beyond the ocean, and noted that providing Ukraine with air defense systems and artillery munitions remain Germany’s priority.
About 600 Taurus missiles have been procured for the German armed forces 10 years ago. These missiles are considered similar to UK’s Storm Shadow missiles, already shipped to Ukraine. However, these German-Swedish missiles have a slightly greater range of up to 500 km. Russia has repeatedly underscored that Western arms shipments to Kiev and the training of Ukrainian servicemen only prolong the conflict and will not alter the situation at the battlefield.