UK supports providing German missiles to Ukraine

(MENAFN) The UK would support Germany if it chooses to send long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, The Telegraph reported on Wednesday, citing sources within the British government.

British officials have reportedly favored the idea of Ukraine receiving the German-made missiles, which have a range of 500 kilometers and are capable of targeting sites deep within Russian territory. Moscow has previously warned that providing such weapons to Kiev—and enabling strikes inside Russia—would be viewed as a major escalation.

“We continue to work with our partners, including Germany, to give Ukraine the tools it needs to defend its sovereign territory,” a British foreign policy official told the outlet in response to the potential missile deliveries.

The report comes after incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed support for arming Ukraine with the Taurus system. In a recent interview with ARD, Merz stated, “I have always said that I would do it,” and noted that other Western nations like the UK, France, and the US are already supplying Ukraine with similar cruise missiles, referencing the British Storm Shadow and French SCALP systems.

However, Merz also emphasized that any such decision would need to be coordinated with European allies. His Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party has suggested that the Taurus missiles could help Ukraine target Russian command posts and supply routes, including the strategic Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to mainland Russia.

This position marks a shift from outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has consistently opposed sending the Taurus missiles due to concerns about escalating the war and potentially implicating Germany directly in the conflict.

Merz is expected to take office in May, pending the outcome of coalition negotiations between the CDU and Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD). According to The Telegraph, the issue of missile deliveries remains a contentious topic during those talks.

SPD leaders have voiced unease about the Taurus system’s extended range, with party head Matthias Miersch recently suggesting Merz might change his mind once he receives classified security briefings. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, also from the SPD, previously warned there are serious national security concerns tied to the potential transfer.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to caution that Western arms shipments will not alter the outcome of the conflict, but will only prolong the fighting and obstruct chances for peace.

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