Germany's Habeck Promises Taurus Missiles for Ukraine if Elected Chancellor

Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck has promised to provide Ukraine with Taurus long-range cruise missiles if he becomes the country’s next chancellor, according to ARD on November 17.

Speaking in an interview, the candidate from the Green Party expressed his willingness to overturn the current stance of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who opposes the delivery of these missiles to Kyiv.

"The answer to the question [about missile transfer] is yes," Habeck stated, adding that decisions regarding arms deliveries are among the most challenging for government.

Chancellor Scholz has justified his refusal to supply Taurus missiles by citing concerns about escalating Germany's involvement in the war.

On November 17, it was reported that the Biden administration had lifted restrictions on Ukraine using US-supplied weapons to strike deep inside Russian territory. The weapons are expected to be used initially against Russian and North Korean forces to bolster the defense of Ukrainian troops in Russia's western Kursk region, according to officials.

Previously Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union and a candidate for chancellor, stated that, if elected, he would push for a 24-hour deadline for Russia to end the war. If Moscow failed to comply, Merz vowed to advocate for delivering Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, potentially allowing strikes on Russian territory.