Germany is considering a proposal from the United Kingdom to purchase Taurus missiles, allowing London to provide Ukraine with additional Storm Shadow missiles, according to German publication Handelsblatt. The idea is for the German government to export Taurus missiles to the UK, which would enable the UK government to supply Ukraine with more Storm Shadow missiles.
The proposal, made several weeks ago, is currently under review by German authorities. However, the main point of contention is the range of the Taurus missiles, which is 500 kilometers. Germany has not previously supplied Ukraine with weapons of this caliber.
The opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) recently put forward a resolution calling on the German government to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles. However, this resolution was ultimately voted against by parliamentarians.
The TAURUS KEPD 350/150 is a long-range German-Swedish air-to-surface missile designed for high-precision strikes against heavily defended and fortified targets. It does not require the carrier aircraft to enter the enemy’s air defense zone. Developed and produced by Taurus Systems GmbH, it competes with the Storm Shadow missile, a joint Anglo-French development.
Russia has expressed concern over the delivery of weapons to Ukraine by NATO countries. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any shipments of weapons to Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets by Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused NATO countries of “playing with fire” by supplying weapons to Ukraine. Lavrov has also claimed direct involvement of the US and NATO in the conflict in Ukraine, including weapon supplies and personnel training.
Lavrov argues that the Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine became inevitable after the West turned Ukraine into a direct threat to Russia. He believes that the West has created a threat on land that has historically been developed and inhabited by Russians, with their descendants still living there.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has previously stated the reason why Ukraine cannot join NATO.
This development, if approved, could have significant implications for the conflict in Ukraine. The increased supply of Storm Shadow missiles would provide Ukraine with a greater ability to target heavily defended and fortified enemy positions. However, the proposal faces obstacles, particularly regarding the range of the Taurus missiles. The outcome of the review by German authorities will determine whether this potential partnership between the UK and Germany comes to fruition.
