Taurus missile transfer won’t make Germany a party to the war, says opposition leader

The transfer of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine doesn’t mean Germany is entering the war, said Friedrich Merz, the leader of the German opposition and head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who is also a likely candidate for the next chancellorship, according to Tagesschau.

Merz said that the cruise missiles with a range of up to 310 miles would enhance Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian aggression, which he described as a violation of international law. 

“Countries like France and the United Kingdom are already providing Ukraine with long-range weapons,” he noted.

He made this statement in response to recent comments made by ultra-left, pro-Russian politician Sahra Wagenknecht, who opposes any military aid to Ukraine.

Wagenknecht had suggested that the CDU in Thuringia, a federal state in Germany, should distance itself from Merz after his renewed call for the transfer of Taurus missiles. 

“If we were to do what he is proposing, Germany would be entering a war with Russia,” she argued.

In response, Merz countered that Wagenknecht knows her claim is false. 

“The supply of Taurus missiles is anything but entering a war. By the way, Ms. Wagenknecht knows this,” he stated during an interview on ARD.

Earlier, Merz urged the current German government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz – who opposes the transfer of the missiles – to issue an ultimatum to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. 

“He [Putin] needs to be told that if he does not stop bombing civilians in Ukraine within 24 hours, Germany will send Taurus missiles to destroy the supply routes that his regime uses to harm Ukrainian civilians,” Merz declared.

The CDU/CSU alliance, under Merz’s leadership, has reached a record level of voter support at 33 percent, according to an Insa poll for Bild. In contrast, Scholz’s party, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), enjoys support from only 14 percent of German voters.