Ukraine is demanding support, parts of the traffic light are putting pressure on Taurus cruise missiles. With Saudi Arabia, a new argument now comes into play.
Berlin – The Greens are pressing the federal government for a timely result in the decision to further support Ukraine. It's about a delivery of Taurus cruise missiles, one of the Air Force's most modern missile types. At the beginning of October 2023, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) decided not to deliver any Taurus bodies to Ukraine for the time being.
“It is now understandable, after months of discussion, that Ukraine hopes that the decision will come very soon,” said co-party leader Omid Nouripour on Tuesday (January 9) in a press conference after a meeting of the Federal Executive Board. Politicians from the Greens, FDP and CDU emphasized this Rhenish Post opposite the need for weapons for Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia decision brings Taurus missiles back into play
The fear behind the initial rejection of the Taurus deliveries was that Russian territory could also be hit by the weapons. The precision weapons have a range of 500 kilometers. Now, after the debate about possible deliveries of Eurofighter fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, the topic of Taurus support came up again: “Anyone who exports Eurofighter to Saudi Arabia must also immediately deliver the Taurus to Ukraine,” argued the defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP). In a letter she had already put pressure on Taurus deliveries.
Due to its rapprochement with Israel, Saudi Arabia could recently hope for a fighter jet commitment from the federal government, especially after statements by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), which were backed up by Scholz. The Greens co-party leader Ricarda Lang renewed her skeptical stance at the press conference: The Greens' fundamental position is still “that Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia are wrong.”
However, a decision on possible Eurofighter deliveries from Germany is currently not pending, said Lang. It was about “whether Great Britain would take part in a bidding competition”. However, the Green politician also emphasized the changed situation around Israel from October 7, 2023. They referred to the Arms Export Control Act, which is intended to standardize decision-making in the long term.
Nouripour accuses Russia of war crimes – Ukraine should get “what it needs”
“We have always said that you have to react to new situations in a new way,” explained Nouripour, referring to the situation Ukraine war. In the press conference, he accused the Kremlin of increasing attacks on civilian targets and war crimes. You have to constantly evaluate, says Nouripour: “What do we owe our people, our friends in Ukraine.”
As far as he knows, the question of further arms deliveries is “closely coordinated” with partner states. When asked more specifically, the co-party leader explained: “We have always said that Ukraine should get what it needs.” However, he also referred to the capacities of the Bundeswehr and the arms industry in Germany. (LisMah/dpa)
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