As of: March 12, 2024, 11:46 a.m
By: Jens Kiffmeier
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Split
Taurus missiles for Ukraine – yes or no?
The SPD rejects all options – unlike its coalition partners.
But now the comrades have had enough.
Berlin - The FDP and the Greens are in favor, the SPD is strictly against it: In the coalition, the debate about the delivery of German Taurus missiles to Ukraine never ends.
The comrades are annoyed by the Taurus revolt, because Chancellor Olaf Scholz had declared the discussion over days ago - despite the constant emergence of new options.
The head of government is now receiving support from the party for his line.
Taurus rockets for Ukraine: SPD supports Chancellor Scholz's course
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil called on the traffic light coalition on Monday (March 11) to take a common line on the issue.
He defended Scholz's no vote on the delivery of the Taurus cruise missile to Ukraine and at the same time ruled out a ring exchange with Great Britain.
The European partners should concentrate on finally producing more ammunition and delivering it to Ukraine, said Klingbeil in the
ARD
“Morgenmagazin”.
“This is what everyone should focus on and not other debates,” Klingbeil made clear.
But even in the cabinet there is still strong opposition.
Long range guaranteed: German cruise missiles reach far behind the front line
Ukraine has long been demanding the delivery of German Taurus missiles in order to be able to attack supply routes behind the front line in the war against Russia.
But Scholz rejects this - out of concern that Germany could become a war party through their use.
The German cruise missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers, which means that Ukraine could theoretically attack Russian territory with German weapons.
Way out of Taurus dilemma: ring exchange with Great Britain “an option” for Baerbock
Some NATO countries certainly share the Chancellor's concerns.
As a way out, British Foreign Minister David Cameron
suggested exchanging rings in an interview with the
Süddeutsche Zeitung .
Germany could give Taurus cruise missiles to Great Britain - and London, in turn, could deliver further Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
But while Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) called this approach “an option” on Caren Miosga’s
ARD
talk show on Sunday evening, Scholz, along with the SPD, also rejects this option.
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The Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag is also skeptical about the ring exchange idea - but from a different perspective than the Chancellor.
It would be best for Great Britain to deliver its system to Ukraine and Germany to deliver Taurus, said the defense policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Florian Hahn, in the
ARD
“Morgenmagazin”.
“That would be real support for Ukraine and not a completely tense, hesitant exchange of rings that results in Ukraine only getting half of what would be possible,” said the CSU politician.
When others claimed that Germany was a leader in supplying weapons to Ukraine, that was only true in quantitative terms, but not in relative terms in relation to Germany's size.
“We can do more here,” emphasized Hahn.
Taurus leak: Union quotes Chancellor Scholz on the report
Against this background, the opposition does not want to make things too easy for the government.
The Defense Committee of the Bundestag wants to meet for a special meeting on Monday evening, which will primarily focus on a conference call between four senior Bundeswehr officers that was recorded by Russia.
In the Taurus leak, they discussed operational scenarios for the German Taurus cruise missile if it were to be delivered to Ukraine.
The Union also wants to talk to the government about the arguments that oppose a Taurus delivery.
Because the arguments that Scholz uses are sometimes “hard stuff,” criticized CDU defense politician Johann Wadephul in an interview with
Merkur.de
from
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
On Thursday, the Union also wants to submit a motion to the Bundestag to decide on the delivery of the Taurus rockets.
Some coalition politicians such as Anton Hofreiter (Greens), Wolfgang Kubicki and Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (both FDP) have already signaled their approval.
But that goes too far even for some Green Party members.
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck called on the traffic light alliance to unite.
Despite all the fundamental opinions, the coalition also has to be careful that the outside world does not perceive it as too divided.
“It’s simply not a good picture,” warned Habeck on
Welt-TV
, “if the German parliament doesn’t say: Germany stands, so we are.”
It is therefore important to “use the days up to Thursday wisely” and set a consistent line.
But for that to happen, one of the coalition partners would have to move.
(
jkf
)