German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock on Monday called on the head of the government she is part of, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, to “intensively consider” the supply of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Politico.eu and Agerpres write. .

Annalena Baerbock in KharkivPhoto: Xander Heinl / DPA / Profimedia

“The elements are very, very clear,” Burbok told a news conference during a visit to Montenegro, where he said Germany should consider sending “all the materials” Ukraine needs to help it defend its territory and protect its population. in the war with Russia.

Germany’s Social Democrat chancellor is under intense pressure from both of his government partners, the Greens led by Annalena Berbock and Finance Minister Christian Lindner’s liberals, as well as the Christian Democratic opposition to provide Kyiv with Taurus missiles with a range of more than 500 kilometers and with the help of which the Ukrainian army could hit targets far behind Russian lines.

But the head of the federal government continues to be categorically against it. “I’m the chancellor and that’s why it applies,” he recalled on Monday. Scholz has already stated that he does not want the involvement of the German military in the conflict in Ukraine, and the operation to program the Taurus missiles to hit targets may require the participation of the German military trained to operate these missiles, just as the British and French militaries do with the Storm Shadow / Scalp missiles , which are supplied to Ukraine.

In addition, the delivery of such air-to-ground missiles is also associated with technical difficulties, since the Ukrainian aviation does not have a platform to launch them, so they will need to be integrated into the fighters available in Ukraine. However, according to discussions between the German military intercepted and published by Russia, modifications made by the British military to the Ukrainian army’s Su-27 aircraft to launch Storm Shadow/Scalp missiles also allow Taurus missiles to be used.

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