Bundestag approves further military aid for Ukraine, rejects Taurus missile delivery

German lawmakers have affirmed their support for Ukraine with new military aid, but the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles remains off the table.

Feb 22, 2024 - 22:13

Bundestag approves further military aid for Ukraine, rejects Taurus missile delivery

On 22 February, the German Bundestag approved a motion by the governing coalition parties for further military support to Ukraine as Russia’s full-scale invasion nears its second year. However, a separate motion by the opposition Union parties, which called for the immediate delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to the attacked country, was rejected by a clear majority.

Since May 2023, Ukraine has actively urged Germany to supply Taurus missiles to enhance its capability to disrupt Russian logistics. However, Berlin hesitates, in contrast to the UK and France’s decision to provide Ukraine with Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles and the US decision to send its ATACMS. The German government’s reluctance stems from fears of escalating the war by giving Ukraine the means to strike targets within Russia.

The approved proposal by the SPD, Green Party, and FDP aims to provide Ukraine with “additional long-range weapon systems” but does not explicitly mention the Taurus system. The motion received 382 votes in favor, with 284 against and two abstentions.

The Bundestag rejected the Union’s motion to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles in the defense against Russia’s aggression, with 182 votes in favor, 480 against, and five abstentions. CDU leader Merz argued in the debate that Ukraine is still not receiving the full amount of material needed to repel the Russian attack effectively.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius assured in the debate that Ukraine can rely on Germany’s continued support, as demonstrated by the recently concluded security agreement between the two countries. However, he did not respond to a question from CDU MP Hardt regarding the delivery of Taurus missiles.

WSJ stated that Germany refrains from sending German-made Taurus long-range precision missiles to Ukraine because of the fear that the maintenance of the missiles would require German technicians on the ground in Ukraine.

The Taurus KEPD 350 is a Swedish-German air-launched cruise missile manufactured by Taurus Systems and used by Germany, Spain, and South Korea. Taurus is one of NATO’s most powerful conventional weapons that can hit targets within 500 kilometers.

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