“Incomprehensible”: German Security Chief Slams Scholz’s Stance on Taurus Missiles

Amidst the US decision to supply Ukraine with ATACMS long-range missiles, the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Christoph Heusgen, has called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to reconsider his refusal to provide Ukraine with German-made Taurus long-range missiles.

“The Chancellor’s decision not to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine is becoming increasingly incomprehensible. We are now seeing how similar American weapons — ATACMS — are having a significant impact,” Heusgen told German media outlet Redaktions Netzwerk Deutschland (RND) on April 27.

Heusgen also expressed frustration that Ukrainian military personnel have not yet begun training on how to operate Taurus missiles, which would allow for immediate use upon approval for their transfer without the need to send German Bundeswehr soldiers to Ukraine.

“In recent weeks, we Europeans have had to painfully realize that our arms deliveries to Ukraine are not enough to stop the brutal Russian aggression. With great effort, the US Congress managed to get approval for massive arms aid,” noted the MSC head.

Heusgen emphasized that “Europeans should not sit idly by.” “We must use the space to prepare for long-term support for Ukraine,” he stressed.

Discussions over Taurus have been ongoing for several months, but Scholz has been opposed due to concerns that Ukraine would use German missiles to strike Russian territory and the potential need to provide the Ukrainian military with targeting data or Bundeswehr soldiers to service the missiles, which could be seen by Russia as involvement in the war.

On April 24, Scholz reiterated his opposition to supplying Taurus to Ukraine. He argued that this is how Germany is preventing Russia from escalating the war against Ukraine and triggering a war between Russia and NATO.