Germany’s incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced support for supplying Ukraine with Taurus long-range missiles—but only in agreement with European allies. The move marks a possible shift from outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s more cautious stance.
BY PC bureau
Friedrich Merz, the incoming chancellor of Germany and current leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has expressed readiness to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles—provided it happens in coordination with European allies.
“I have always said I would support this, but only in alignment with our European partners,” Merz said in a televised interview with ARD.
Throughout his campaign, Merz consistently backed the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine and supported maintaining sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that several Western nations, including the UK, France, and the United States, have already supplied Ukraine with long-range missile systems. If there is consensus among European partners, “Germany should take part,” he said.
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According to Merz, the Taurus missiles could play a critical role in helping Ukrainian forces strike logistical hubs and transportation routes connecting Russia with the occupied Crimean Peninsula.
The Taurus KEPD-350 is an air-launched cruise missile developed jointly by MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Sweden’s Saab Bofors Dynamics. In service with the German military since 2006, the missile features stealth technology, an operational range exceeding 500 kilometers (approximately 300 miles), and travels just below the speed of sound. It is equipped with a two-stage 480-kilogram (1,100-pound) warhead designed to penetrate hardened targets before delivering its main explosive payload.
Despite Merz’s support, public opinion remains divided. A recent Deutschlandtrend survey found that 61 percent of Germans oppose sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine—a nine-point increase from the previous month—even as many agree on the need to strengthen national defense in response to Russian aggression.
Merz’s center-right CDU/CSU alliance secured first place in the February elections and is currently negotiating a coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).
Merz has been a vocal
German chancellor-in-waiting Merz already pushing country toward escalation
WILLING to give Ukraine long-range Taurus missiles
‘The British do it, the French do it’
Taurus missiles go 500km+ — deeper than UK’s Storm Shadow or US’ ATACMS pic.twitter.com/H8rT55HaGV
— RT (@RT_com) April 14, 2025
supporter of Ukraine, stating previously that he would authorize the delivery of Taurus missiles to enable Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian-held territory. This stance marks a departure from outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD, who has consistently opposed such a move, citing fears of escalating the conflict and provoking direct confrontation with Moscow.
Scholz’s main concern lies in the technical requirements of the Taurus system, which necessitate German personnel to program targeting data. At one point, the possibility of outsourcing this task to civilian contractors was floated.
Nevertheless, Scholz’s government has been one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began three years ago, Germany has become the second-largest supplier of military aid to Kyiv and currently hosts more than one million Ukrainian refugees.
