German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed reluctance in providing longer-range munitions to Ukraine due to concerns about potential escalation and the use of these weapons against Russia. In an interview with German state-TV channel ARD, Scholz explained that Germany shares the principle with the US not to supply weapons that could be used to attack Russian territories.
During a meeting between Scholz and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Berlin in May, Zelensky stated that Ukraine urgently wanted Swedish-German Taurus KEPD 350 missiles, which have a range of 500km. However, Germany has been cautious about supplying such weapons to Ukraine without prior coordination with NATO partners. This cautious approach aims to avoid provoking Moscow and risking further escalation of the conflict.
Ukraine has been increasingly demanding more sophisticated weapons from its Western allies throughout the conflict. It has recently called for NATO to provide fighter jets, particularly US-made F-16 fighters. Ukraine has already secured commitments for Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 battle tanks from EU countries, as well as M1 Abrams and Challenger 2 tanks from the US and UK respectively.
Germany previously resisted calls to provide weapons to Ukraine, including the Leopard tanks, until the US agreed to send some of its Abrams tanks later this year. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius ruled out the idea of sending Taurus missiles in the foreseeable future. Only the UK has supplied longer-range missiles to Ukraine so far, with the Russian military claiming that these missiles have been used to attack civilian facilities in Lugansk and other areas in Donbass.
French President Emmanuel Macron has also promised to provide Ukraine with its variant of the Storm Shadow missile, called SCALP-EGs. However, the delivery date for these missiles remains unknown.
The US is currently considering whether to supply long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. These missiles, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, have a range of up to 300km. The decision regarding the supply of ATACMS is pending approval at the highest levels in the US. Ukraine has already received M270 MLRS or M142 HIMARS platforms from the US, which can be used to fire these missiles.
Despite Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive, which has not resulted in significant gains, concerns about further escalation have led Germany and other NATO partners to approach the supply of weapons cautiously. The priority is to avoid giving Ukraine weapons that could be used against Russia, as this could heighten tensions and risk a larger-scale conflict.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Western allies will navigate the complexities of providing military assistance to Ukraine without exacerbating the conflict with Russia. The aim is to support Ukraine’s security while minimizing the risk of further escalation in the region.
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