German Foreign Minister Defends Sending Taurus Missiles to Ukraine, but "Devil Is in the Details"

Germany's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, has defended the German government's thorough examination of the requested supply of Taurus cruise missiles by Ukraine.

As reported by Handelsblatt, over the past year and a half of Russian aggression in Ukraine, it has become clear that "it's not enough to just assume obligations, but we also need to ensure that these obligations can be fulfilled as quickly as possible," Baerbock stated after a meeting with Estonia's Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, in Berlin.

"We have also learned how we can communicate better as an international community, as Europeans, who supplies what, and who has experience in various areas," added the German Minister of Foreign Affairs.

According to her, the mere delivery of cruise missiles is insufficient.

"They need to be deployed somewhere. Therefore, it's not a question that can be resolved quickly. Instead, all technical aspects need to be thoroughly examined," explained the minister.

"The lesson of the past year and a half is not to speak or promise things hastily, but to clarify all technical questions. Because, as often happens, the devil is in the details," she added.

As previously reported, the German government has not yet decided whether it will supply long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Spiegel reports that classified negotiations with representatives of the defence industry regarding the supply of missiles are currently ongoing, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to make technical modifications to the missiles to make it impossible for Kyiv to strike Russian territory, other than Russian-occupied Crimea.