Merz scraps range limits on Ukrainian missiles despite Russian threats

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has announced that Germany has scrapped range limits on missiles which it sends to Ukraine. It is unclear whether the new policy means Germany will deliver Taurus missiles to Kyiv.

Merz permits Ukraine to use longer-range missiles

“There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine – neither by the British, nor by the French, nor by us, nor by the Americans,” Friedrich Merz has announced in a TV interview.

“This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia [...] with very few exceptions, it didn’t do that until recently. It can now do that.”

Speaking to broadcaster WDR at the Europaforum conference in Berlin, Merz added that Vladimir Putin’s reluctance to engage in peace talks signalled the Russian leader’s intention to prolong the conflict.

The Kremlin’s response mirrored Merz’s accusations, calling Germany’s decision to scrap range limits “dangerous” and claiming it was “completely at odds with [Russia’s] aspirations for a political settlement”.

Will Germany send Taurus missiles to Ukraine? 

It is yet unclear whether Germany’s new policy to scrap range limits will apply to Taurus weapons, which can travel at a maximum of 1.170 kilometres per hour and hit targets as far as 500 kilometres away.

Germany has long been debating whether or not to supply Ukraine with its long-range Taurus missiles. While former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) was always more hesitant on the matter, Merz has previously voiced his support for sending Taurus weapons to Ukraine.

Back in April, a spokesperson for the Kremlin’s Foreign Ministry warned that a long-range strike involving German missiles “against any Russian facility of critical transport infrastructure [...] would be regarded as direct participation of Germany in hostilities”.

In his interview with WDR, Merz said the federal republic would not be so public about its artillery plans going forward. “Strategic ambiguity” is necessary, Merz claimed, and Putin, who speaks German, shouldn’t be able to find out important information just by watching TV.

The Iskander SS-26 ballistic missile, which can hit targets up to 500 km away, has already been used by Russia to target Ukraine.