English summary of the [German] article:
The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola called on the German government to finally decide on the delivery of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, as per German weekly Der Spiegel.
Metsola noted that for Ukraine, “time matters”, and Russia is increasing the pressure — there are only more air targets flying over Ukrainian cities.
Ms. Metsola emphasized that Ukraine “cannot wait forever”, and that there is broad support in the European Parliament for such a decision by Germany.
The debate on Taurus flared up again after the United States had lifted long-range restrictions for Ukraine, and in the view of the upcoming early elections in Germany, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been rejecting these claims.
But the upcoming federal election has fuelled the debate: The vice-chancellor and Green leader Robert Habeck had stressed on German TV that he was ready for this, and parts of the opposition saw it as similar. CDU-head Friedrich Merz had already spoken out for Taurus deliveries.
The main purpose for Taurus is to hit nuclear missile silos. So it is design to be stealthy and accurate with a decent warhead. However that also makes them really expensive. So Germany does not have too many to begin with and most of them are actually needed in case Russia actually might go nuclear.
For Ukraine it is not a terribly useful system. Striking nuclear missile silos is pretty useless. Most other targets can be more easily served with a more conventional and cheaper Shahed like drone too. It would be better for Germany to deliver licensed built or self developed long range Shahed like drones in large numbers.
Why not both?
Actually, why not send all the things, and then some?
This war needs to end, and it needs to end with a complete defeat of putlers hateful regime.
Cause Nato has to be still able to defend itself.
Limited resources. Giving Ukraine Taurus costs time, money and other resources. If those can be better used for another system, then that is the better option.
Isn’t that the “mini taurus” they recently send?
A Christian conservative with a hard on for an escalation of war?! I can’t believe it.
It is Russia who invaded an independent country against humanitarian law, kidnapped children and is using foreign soldiers form North Korea to fight their war. They also use Iranian drones on Ukrainian territory. Russia also keeps threatening to use nukes. Ukraine returning the favour with Taurus missiles would totally be justified and legitemate with the geneva convention as they are defending themselves.
Well until Ukraine starts to do all those things, it’s not an escalation, right? I am of the opinion that targeting military infrastructure of the attacker is 100% OK, regardless of it’s geographic location. However, general fear is that russia can use the same logic to target Ukraine’s suppliers.
That would be a real escalation tho.
I appreciate the anti-Christian vibes, but son, do you want Ukraine to just hand over their land to Russia? Russia is also quite Christian, mind you.
