NEW YORK, March 4. /TASS/. Shipments of German-made Taurus missiles cannot alter the situation in the Ukrainian conflict, says an article by The New York Times.

According to the newspaper, the European Parliament "named the Taurus system among several that Ukraine needed in a nonbinding resolution that calls on all member nations to provide more weaponry." However, it is "far from clear that even if Germany did provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine, as President Zelensky has urged, it would make a decisive difference in the conflict."

The NYT notes that "Germany’s decision to send Leopard tanks last year did not enable Ukraine to mount a successful counteroffensive, and there are doubts about whether F-16 fighters, about to be delivered to Kyiv, will turn the battle now."

Kiev has long been asking Berlin to ship Taurus missiles, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reacted to these calls with restraint and eventually decided not to do that for a time being. About 600 Taurus missiles were procured for the Bundeswehr 10 years ago. These missiles are considered similar to UK-made Storm Shadow missiles that have already been sent to Ukraine. However, the German-Swedish missiles have a slightly bigger rang of up to 500 km.

Moscow has repeatedly underscored that shipments of new weapons to Ukraine will not change the situation at the contact line and will only prolong the conflict.