2 main reasons why Germany refused to send Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that he could not yet send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, pointing out the risk of Berlin becoming directly involved in the war, according to AP on February 27.

Germany is now the second-largest military aid provider to Ukraine after the United States and is stepping up its support this year. But Chancellor Scholz has held off for months on Ukraine’s request for Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500km and could in theory be used to strike targets deep inside Russia.

Deutsche Welle International Radio (Germany) on the same day also quoted Chancellor Scholz raising two main issues: the scope of their activities and the possibility of needing support from the German army, which he said could be understood as direct or indirect participation in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Describing the Taurus as a "very long-range" weapon, he said: "What the British and French are doing in terms of target control is impossible for Germany. Everyone who has worked with this system knows that."

Chancellor Scholz has repeatedly indicated in recent months, amid some pressure, that the delivery of the Taurus missiles is not yet in progress. The German leader has also posted similar but less detailed written comments on social media, saying that Berlin "will not become a belligerent party, directly or indirectly".

Chancellor Scholz has not said definitively that Taurus will not be transferred but has given the clearest explanation yet of his hesitation - something that has irked both Germany's conservative opposition and some in the three-party coalition government led by Mr Scholz.

The German government has long made clear its determination to help Ukraine without escalating the conflict and drawing Germany and NATO into the war, stressing that no German troops will be deployed to Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Britain and France have long announced that they will send Storm Shadow and Scalp long-range missiles to Ukraine, respectively. Mr. Scholz said the Taurus is “a weapon with a very big impact.”

Asked if he was worried that German soldiers would have to go to Ukraine to control the targets the missiles were aimed at, Chancellor Scholz said that “German soldiers are never linked to the targets that this (Taurus) system is approaching”.

According to Scholz, there are many good reasons why the Taurus is not next on the agenda, and the German debate over the Taurus misses what Ukraine really needs today. “What Ukraine is lacking is ammunition of different ranges, but it is not necessarily German,” he said.

Last week, German lawmakers called on the government to provide more long-range weapons to Ukraine, but voted down an apparent opposition call to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles.

A motion circulated by the ruling parties called on the government to continue military support and said “this includes the provision of additional long-range weapons systems and ammunition needed” to strike “strategically important targets far behind Russian lines.” The motion did not specifically mention whether it supported sending Taurus missiles.