The chancellor’s election rival, Friedrich Merz, has called for EU-wide supplies of long-range weapons to Kiev
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reiterated his opposition to supplying Ukraine with weapons that can be used for deep strikes into Russian territory, as he faced off against his rival, Friedrich Merz, in their first and only televised debate ahead of the general election on February 23.
Despite Berlin being a key backer of Kiev during its conflict with Moscow, providing it with around €16.8 billion ($17.3 billion) in weapons and humanitarian aid over the past three years, Scholz has refused to supply long-range German-made Taurus missiles to Ukraine over fears of escalation.
The chancellor, who represents the Social Democratic Party (SPD), stated during the 90-minute debate on Sunday that his position on the issue has not changed, saying: “I do not think it is right to deliver destructive weapons deep into the Russian hinterland.”
“That is, I believe, exactly the kind of step not to make if you carry responsibility for Germany.”
Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), spoke in favor of providing long-range weapons to Ukraine, but stressed that it should be done as part of a coordinated EU policy.
“I have always said the delivery of cruise missiles must be decided in the EU. The US delivers, France delivers, Britain delivers; we should also have delivered,” he said.
In November, then-US President Joe Biden backtracked and granted permission to Ukraine to carry out strikes deep into Russian territory with American-supplied weapons. Similar approvals soon came from London and Paris.
Later that month, Russia used its new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile system, striking the Yuzhmash military plant in the Ukrainian city of Dnepr.
According to Moscow, the use of the state-of-the-art weapon was a response to the first attacks on its internationally recognized territory with US-made ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned at the time that if the Ukrainian strikes continue, Moscow reserves the right “to use our weapons against military facilities of those countries that allow the use of their weapons against our facilities.”
Shortly before New Year’s, Putin warned that “the possibility of using it [Oreshnik again] today or tomorrow, if there is a need,” cannot be ruled out.
