German Chancellor Candidate Open to Sending Taurus Missiles to Ukraine Under Conditions

Leader of Germany’s opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and a potential future chancellor, has expressed his willingness to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles, but only under certain conditions, Friedrich Merz said on the German TV channel ARD on October 14.

He believes the first step should be to warn Putin to stop targeting civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine.

“If Russia does not comply, the first step would be lifting the restrictions on the use of the weapons already supplied,” Merz said.

“The second step would be to deliver the Taurus missiles. After that, it will be up to Putin to decide how far he wants to take this war.”

Germany has yet to send the Taurus missiles, which have a range of 500 kilometers, to Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly opposed such deliveries, citing concerns that it could draw Germany and NATO directly into the conflict.

Merz, however, said that any decision regarding the delivery of Taurus missiles should be made at a European level.

Reflecting on the West’s earlier miscalculation regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Merz concluded, “We cannot afford to be wrong again. The cost of a future mistake would be much higher.”

Merz also announced that during the upcoming federal elections, he would advocate for significantly increased defense spending.

“We must do this,” Merz stated, adding that Germany’s military budget needs to be expanded. The Bundeswehr’s billion-euro special fund is expected to be depleted by 2028, and a €30 billion shortfall would need to be filled by 2029. Additionally, military spending may need to rise closer to 3% of the gross domestic product, up from the current 2%.

Merz warned that Russia’s ongoing military buildup could let it launch an attack on NATO territory within five to eight years.

Earlier, German FM supported Annalena Baerbock has voiced her support for providing Ukraine with long-range missiles for self-defense, despite opposition from Chancellor Olaf Scholz.