Despite reports that the US has authorized Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles for long-range strikes within Russia, Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains opposed to providing Ukraine with Taurus missiles.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed the government’s refusal to supply Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles capable of striking targets inside Russia, even following reports of a US policy shift. This stance remains unchanged despite multiple news outlets reporting that US President Joe Biden has granted Ukraine permission to use American-supplied ATACMS missiles for such strikes; a move Moscow considers a direct NATO provocation. While the US, UK, and France have previously supplied Ukraine with long-range weapons, Germany has consistently declined to do so.
Pistorius stated that the US decision “doesn’t change our assessment at the moment,” and that there is currently “no reason to make a different decision,” regarding the provision of Taurus missiles. He announced instead that Germany will supply 4,000 AI-assisted drones to the Ukrainian military. This statement was made during a visit to a Bavarian helicopter plant.
A German government spokesperson confirmed that Washington informed Berlin of the policy change beforehand. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that none of the weapons Germany has provided Ukraine are considered long-range.
Scholz has consistently justified his refusal to supply Taurus missiles by arguing it would directly involve Germany in the conflict. This position has drawn criticism from some members of his former coalition partners and senior opposition figures.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock welcomed the reports of Biden’s decision, stating that her party, the Greens, “sees this issue in the same way as our Eastern European partner, the British, the French and the Americans.”
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Bundestag Defense Committee (FDP), described the reported American move as long overdue and urged Scholz to reconsider his position on Taurus missiles.
The Greens and FDP were junior coalition partners under Scholz’s Social Democrats, a coalition that dissolved earlier this month. The Christian Democrats, the leading opposition party, supports sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Other politicians critical of the Western approach to the conflict have seen a recent rise in popularity.
Germany is widely expected to hold early federal elections in 2025.