Poll shows more than 60% of Germans against providing Ukraine with Taurus

Public opposition in Germany illustrates the political challenges facing Western military support for Ukraine, even as the war enters a critical phase that demands advanced weaponry.

Nov 21, 2024 - 19:00

Poll shows more than 60% of Germans against providing Ukraine with Taurus

Taurus missile, illustrative image. Photo via Wikimedia.

According to a poll conducted for the ARD TV channel, the overwhelming majority of German citizens are against providing Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers.

This resistance in Europe’s economic powerhouse, particularly pronounced in eastern Germany, comes at a moment when Ukraine needs advanced Western weapons to challenge Russian military positions, highlighting the tension between battlefield necessities and domestic European politics.

Respondents were asked whether Germany should supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles “that can be used against targets at long distances.” Sixty-one percent of respondents were opposed.

Almost a third of Germans instead support the decision to provide Ukraine with Taurus. At the same time, 27 percent of respondents also support the use of missiles for strikes on Russian territory and 3 percent support deliveries without such authorization.

The greatest opposition to the delivery of Taurus to Ukraine is in the east of Germany (76%), while in the west of the country it is 56%. Also in the west there are noticeably more supporters of such assistance than in the east (34% vs. 19%).

In October, the leader of Germany’s opposition party Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, has rejected claims that supplying Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine would draw Germany into the war.

In addition, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is considering bringing the question of supplying Ukraine with Taurus long-range missiles to a vote in the Bundestag.

The survey took place between 18-20 November and covered 1,318 eligible respondents in Germany. The measurement error is between 2 and 3 percentage points.

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