German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that Germany will not provide Ukraine with long-range precision weapons, regardless of NATO allies’ decisions. Speaking at a public event in Prenzlau, Scholz expressed concerns about the potential for major escalation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been requesting these weapons to target Russian logistics and military airfields behind the front lines. However, Moscow has threatened a “brutal response” if Ukraine is allowed to use Western-supplied long-range missiles against Russia.
In military terms, “long-range” refers to cruise missile systems capable of striking targets over 310 miles away. Scholz specifically mentioned the Taurus missiles, which have a range of around 310 miles and could potentially reach Moscow. He emphasized that supplying such weapons would carry a significant risk of escalation and stated his firm refusal to do so.
Scholz made it clear that Germany’s decision would remain unchanged even if other countries decided differently. While Ukraine’s allies have been providing weapons with restrictions on their use inside Russia, there are speculations about the United States lifting its existing restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine. However, White House national security spokesman John Kirby confirmed that there were no plans to change their policy regarding long-range strike capabilities for Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently commented on the situation, stating that without Western support, Ukraine would be unable to carry out strikes within Russian territory due to its reliance on satellite intelligence and flight data for such operations. Putin warned that allowing Kyiv to strike deep into Russia would fundamentally change the nature of the conflict and effectively mean war between NATO countries and Russia.
Germany has been one of the largest contributors of military aid to Ukraine after the United States but plans to reduce its budget for aid next year.
