Supplying Ukraine with Taurus won't make us party to war – Germany opposition leader Merz

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, has stated that supplying Ukraine with long-range German-made Taurus missiles will not make Germany a party to the war.

As reported by Tagesschau, this was Merz’s reaction to statements made by the far-left politician Sahra Wagenknecht, who is opposed to providing Ukraine with any military aid.

Her far-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance is currently one of the parties to coalition talks in the federal states of Saxony and Thuringia, although both are having a hard time with the foreign policy demands of the far left.

Last week, Wagenknecht indirectly demanded that the CDU in Thuringia dissociate itself from Merz when he once again called for the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

"If we had done what he called for, Germany would have entered the war against Russia," Wagenknecht said during a broadcast by German TV channel consortium ARD.

Merz responded: "Delivering Taurus missiles is anything but entering the war. Ms Wagenknecht knows that, by the way."

He stressed that the cruise missiles would enable Ukraine to defend itself against Russia's aggression, which violates international law.

"Countries such as France and the UK are already supplying Ukraine with long-range weapons," Merz added.

Prior to the EU summit on 17 October, Merz suggested that German Chancellor Scholz issue an ultimatum to Putin and discuss its content with his European counterparts. 

"He must be told: if he does not stop bombing civilians in Ukraine within 24 hours, then Germany must send Taurus missiles to destroy the supply routes this regime is using to harm Ukraine’s civilian population," Merz said.  

Germany, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has consistently refused to provide Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine – even after the UK, France and the US have provided long-range weapons.