Chancellor Merz Calls Germany Currently Has No Plans To Send Taurus Cruise Missiles To Ukraine

JAKARTA - Germany currently has no plans to ship the Taurus long-range cruise missile to Ukraine, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

"Currently, this question is not on the agenda," he told ZDF television, quoted from TASS May 16.

Chancellor Merz explained that the delivery of such missiles would take a lot of time and preparation, as special training was needed to operate the missile.

Chancellor Merz stressed that the possibility of discussions on the delivery of Taurus within the government "is a debate that will not be discussed publicly."

"(President) Putin speaks German well. He only needs to watch programs on German television to find out what Germany and Europe are planning. This is a strategic advantage for him and a loss for us," he explained, quoted by Agenzia Nova.

Last month, in an interview with Caren Miosga from ARD, Merz opened up on Taurus missile shipments to help Ukraine, after a Russian missile killed 34 civilians and injured 117 others in Sumy City, quoted from Euronews.

However, he stressed that long-range missile shipments would only occur after consultation with German allies in Europe.

"That must be coordinated. And if it is approved, then Germany must participate," he said at the time.

The Taurus KEPD-350 missile is capable of traveling at speeds of up to 1,170 kilometers (727 miles) per hour and can reach the target of 500 kilometers, quoted from DW.

The Taurus missile will allow Ukraine to strike targets deep within Russian territory.

Taurus offers a longer range than French Scalp cruise missiles or British Storm Shadow missiles. The system also has the precision needed to effectively destroy strategic targets such as bridge pillars.

One of the strategic bridges in the Russian-Ukraine war was the Kerch Bridge, the most important land route between Russia and Russia's occupied Crimean peninsula. The bridge has been attacked several times during the war but was not completely destroyed.

Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky have long expected Germany to send the Taurus missile. Germany is Ukraine's second-largest arms supplier since the war with Russia broke out after the United States.

However, German Chancellor previously, Olaf Scholz has repeatedly resisted the shipment of the Taurus missile, fearing it will drag Germany into direct conflict with Russia.