Ukraine can strike deep inside Russia using German weapons
Kiev should be able to 'effectively' defend itself against Russia, the chancellor told the EuropaForum event on Monday. The ability to only strike targets on its own territory is insufficient, Merz argued.
'We will do everything in our power to continue supporting Ukraine militarily,' the chancellor said. 'There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine, neither from the British nor the French, nor from us, nor from the Americans.'
He did not elaborate on whether long-range Taurus missiles would be provided, which was a contentious topic under the previous government of Olaf Scholz. The former chancellor consistently opposed the idea, arguing that it would lead to a dangerous escalation of the conflict.
Taurus missiles have an operational range of 500km, meaning they could be used to attack targets deep inside Russian territory, potentially even reaching the nation's capital. Russia has repeatedly warned Germany that deliveries to Ukraine would make Berlin a direct participant in the conflict.
On Monday, Merz stated that Berlin is 'actively discussing' potential deliveries with London and Paris.
The Kremlin has called the German chancellor's latest statements 'dangerous.' Berlin's actions go against the attempts to settle the Ukraine conflict peacefully, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned. 'If such decisions have been made, they are contrary to our desire to find a political settlement, to all the efforts to resolve [the conflict],' he said.
The chancellor's statements come as Russia and Ukraine have engaged in direct peace talks for the first time in over three years after Kiev unilaterally withdrew from the negotiations in 2022.
Merz remains skeptical about a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin 'obviously sees offers of talks as a sign of weakness,' he claimed on Monday, adding that 'we must prepare ourselves for this war to last longer than any of us could wish or imagine.'
Moscow has repeatedly stated it is open for peace talks but would prefer a lasting solution to the conflict to a temporary truce. The Istanbul talks took place after Putin suggested resuming peace process without preconditions.
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