German opposition calls on Sunak to push Scholz on transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine
Members of the German opposition faction Christian Democratic Union (CDU) called on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to pressure Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the issue of the transfer of Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, reports n-tv.
The German opposition believes that after the US Congress approved the bill on aid to Ukraine with a call to provide longer-range weapons, appropriate pressure should be applied to the German government.
"The US package directly calls on US President Joe Biden to provide long-range ATACMS. That's why Sunak should also increase pressure on Scholz to finally hand over the Taurus," CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter said.
Sunak will visit Germany for the first time during his tenure and meet with Scholz. Politicians are expected to talk about world wars and bilateral relations.
On January 24, 2024, media reported that Britain offered Germany the idea of a circular exchange - Berlin could export Taurus to the country, and London would transfer Storm Shadow to Ukraine, which are already in use in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The next day, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that he "knows nothing" about the idea of a circular exchange with Britain, and emphasized that it would be decided by Scholz's office, not his department.
On March 29, Scholz, in the context of the refusal to provide the Taurus, said that it remains important for him "not to trigger an escalation" of the war to a confrontation between Russia and NATO.
