The Kremlin has reacted after German Chancellor Merz confirmed that the West has lifted restrictions on Ukraine to use long-range missiles.
As peace efforts appear to be in vain and Russian attacks on Ukraine continue, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) announced on Monday (26.05.) that there will no longer be any restrictions on the range of weapons being sent from Germany to Ukraine. "There are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons that are supplied to Ukraine, neither by the British, nor by the French, nor by us, nor by the Americans," Merz said on WDR's Europaforum.
Russia mercilessly attacks civilian targets and bombs cities, Merz said. Ukraine is not doing this and it should remain that way. "But a country that faces an aggressor only within its own territory is not being able to defend itself sufficiently."
No word on Taurus missiles
At the beginning of the war after the Russian aggression, the West did not supply Ukraine with long-range weapons, in order to prevent an escalation of the conflict. Meanwhile, Great Britain and France have supplied Kiev with Storm Shadow/Scalp missiles. In Germany, the debate focused mainly on the Taurus missiles with a range of 500 kilometers. At the European Forum, Merz did not explicitly mention the type of weapon, but the new federal government has already made it clear that for strategic reasons it will not comment further on the weapons deliveries to Ukraine. According to information so far, no Taurus missiles have been sent.
Merz's statements were met with mixed reactions in German politics. Green Party MP Agnieszka Brugger welcomed it on the German RND portal as "logical and long overdue". She demanded that Ukraine now also be given the Taurus missiles requested by Kiev. The Left Party parliamentary group leader Sören Pellmann condemned Russia's aggressive war, but raised concerns that "the delivery of increasingly heavy weapons has not ended the war". The fact that there are now no longer any limits on the range of weapons being sent to Ukraine could "lead to further escalation".
The Kremlin reacts
Russia strongly condemned Chancellor Merz's statements. The Kremlin said that sending long-range weapons would be a dangerous step. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that sending long-range weapons to Ukraine "contradicts Moscow's efforts to find a political solution". On the other hand, only on Monday evening (26.05.) the largest drone attacks by Russia against Ukraine since the beginning of the war took place. Despite international efforts, there are no signs from the Russian side that it will abandon its maximum demands and seek a compromise.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul dismissed the Russian criticism. "There have been several requests and opportunities for the Russian president to sit at the negotiating table and he has rejected them," the CDU politician said at a meeting with his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel in Lisbon. "We have always made it clear that this behavior will not go without consequences," Wadephul added. Germany will continue to support Ukraine militarily "so that it can defend itself and prevent the Russian aggressor from successfully continuing the war."/DW (A2 Televizion)
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