The American edition of The Wall Street Journal writes that Germany is postponing the transfer of Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine due to fear of Russia.
According to the publication, the head of the German government, Olaf Scholz, personally suspended the shipment of these missiles to Ukraine.
This is reported with reference to German officials.
Why Germany is postponing the transfer of Taurus to Ukraine
According to the publication, the German government generally approved the transfer of Taurus to Ukraine, but Scholz suspended the move due to concerns that German military specialists would have to go to Ukraine to help operate and maintain the sophisticated weapon.
As sources told WSJ, the German Chancellor fears that the presence of German specialists in the combat zone could drag Germany into the conflict even further and cause direct confrontation with Russia.
The chancellor’s spokesman said that no plan has yet been adopted for the immediate transfer of the Taurus to Ukraine. At the same time, the publication’s interlocutors note that the transfer of Taurus may still be approved if the United States supplies Ukraine with comparable weapons.
Earlier, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced the possibility of a quick solution to the issue of transferring the Taurus to Ukraine.
Scholz has so far reacted with restraint to Kyiv’s requests to transfer these missiles, noting that all deliveries are coordinated with partners, including the United States.
The German Chancellor also noted that Berlin’s priority is to provide Ukraine with air defense systems and artillery shells.
The German-Swedish Taurus missiles are an analogue of the British Storm Shadow, which Ukraine has already received. The range of the Taurus is slightly longer – up to 500 km.
