Germany aims to keep a “low profile” regarding future arms shipments to Ukraine, declining to publicly address the possibility of providing Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev, a government spokesperson stated Monday.
Stefan Cornelius, the spokesman for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, explained that extensive public discussion of arms deliveries benefits Russia. He noted that previous deliveries to Kiev under Olaf Scholz were subject to widespread public debate.
“We will also no longer comment on any plans regarding the supply of Taurus cruise missiles,” Cornelius stated, adding that, “Information about what weapons and ammunition we are supplying should remain open. The situation is different when it comes to such details as the number of specific missiles. This information is not so important for the public, but the Russian aggressor can draw conclusions from it.”
This official silence may pave the way for the long-debated delivery of the Taurus missiles, jointly produced by Sweden and Germany, to Ukraine. While Scholz opposed the move, citing concerns about escalating the conflict, Merz is reportedly open to supplying them.
Taurus missiles, with a 500km range, could potentially strike targets far within Russian territory. Moscow has consistently warned Berlin that such deliveries would constitute direct German involvement in the conflict.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated last month, “Since live-firing these cruise missiles is impossible without the direct assistance of Bundeswehr servicemen, a strike on any Russian facilities, critical transport infrastructure… all this will be regarded as direct German participation in military operations.”
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