As of: March 6, 2024, 8:35 p.m
By: Laura May
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Chancellor Olaf Scholz has received criticism for his decision against Taurus deliveries.
But military expert Erich Vad also warns of possible risks.
Berlin – Ex-Merkel advisor and retired Brigadier General of the Bundeswehr Erich Vad supports Olaf Scholz's decision not to deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
A wiretapped conversation about the use of the German-Swedish weapon shocked the Bundeswehr last week - and reignited the debate about the delicate gesture in the Ukraine war.
Vad, a long-time advisor to Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), confirmed in a conversation with the
Berliner Zeitung
on Monday (March 4th) the high risks that would be associated with a delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev and supported the Chancellor's decision .
He represents the opinion of most Germans.
Only 28 percent support Taurus deliveries to Ukraine, according to a survey commissioned by the
dpa
.
Demonstrators in Munich are demanding the release of Taurus cruise missiles.
© IMAGO/Oryk HAIST
Vad on Scholz's Ukraine decision: "Taurus could destroy Kremlin"
“I think Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision not to supply Taurus weapons systems to Ukraine is absolutely right,” said Vad.
The Taurus could be used to destroy the Kremlin and thus the Russian seat of government.
“From a German perspective, a short-term Taurus delivery and the associated provision of soldiers who can operate the weapon system would be a clear participation in the war.”
Although Ukraine already has similar weapon systems from the British and French, the Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles do not have as great a range and destructive power as the Taurus cruise missiles.
According to military experts, the German system could be used to attack targets far behind the front line in Russia, which has enormous potential for escalation.
“We must not be linked at any point or place to the goals that this system achieves,” warned Olaf Scholz to the
dpa
last week .
Ex-Merkel advisor Vad sees Pistorius's duty after the Taurus wiretapping scandal
The German Bundeswehr's recorded conversations about the use of Taurus were sensitive, said Vad.
“But in a protected space you have to be able to talk openly about possible military deployment scenarios and weigh up military risks.” The ex-Merkel advisor also dampened the great concern about the wiretapping scandal that has become public, also in the
Berliner Zeitung
.
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“Intercepting military information is part of the mission of secret services.
As we saw when Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone was tapped, this also happens among friendly nations." It is now up to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) to uncover the affair and clarify how Russia was able to obtain the sensitive data.
The Greens and FDP support Taurus deliveries to Ukraine
In contrast to public opinion and Vad, members of the traffic light coalition criticize Scholz's no to the Taurus delivery.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), for example, sees Scholz's rejection as hesitant behavior and emphasizes that Russia already sees the Germans as an enemy.
And Anton Hofreiter (Greens) also claimed in the “heute journal” that Scholz’s reasons were “obviously wrong”.
(Laura May)