Friedrich Merz (Photo: EPA/CLEMENS BILAN)

Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and a potential future candidate for German Chancellor, has expressed support for lifting restrictions on long-range strikes for Ukraine and providing Taurus missiles under certain conditions, according to n-tv.

Merz stated that he would support the transfer of the long-awaited Taurus missiles to Ukraine, but not immediately. Instead, he proposed a phased approach with one key condition.

The first step, according to Merz, would be to address Russian dictator Vladimir Putin with a demand to stop striking civilian targets in Ukraine.

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If the Kremlin does not comply with this demand, Berlin would then proceed to transfer the long-range weapons to Ukraine, Merz added.

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Merz is the main rival of current Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the upcoming elections. He supports Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression and advocates for providing assistance to Ukraine, including military aid. However, Merz also emphasizes the importance of diplomatic efforts and believes that negotiations with Russia should begin with a demand to cease attacks on civilian targets.

Current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will not receive Taurus missiles because their use is tied to the German military. He has explained that the targeting of these missiles must be handled by specialists from Germany.

Scholz even laughed once when asked again about transferring these missiles to Ukraine, drawing criticism from the opposition.

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warGermanyOlaf ScholzTauruselectionlong-range weaponFriedrich Merz