Scholz fired finance minister over Taurus missiles proposal, ex-FM says
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired former Finance Minister Christian Lindner after he proposed sending Ukraine Taurus missiles instead of financial aid, Lindner said on Nov. 7, according to the German media outlet Berliner Zeitung.
Scholz's dismissal of Lindner on Nov. 6 triggered the collapse of Germany's three-party governing coalition. Economic disagreements led to Lindner's firing, Scholz said.
Lindner, who leads Germany's Free Democratic Party (FDP), said his dispute with Scholz centered on Ukraine policy, Berliner Zeitung reported. According to Lindner, Scholz instructed him to transfer 3 billion euros (about $3.2 billion) to Ukraine, but Lindner disagreed due to the country's financial difficulties.
Instead, Lindner proposed aiding Ukraine by sending long-range Taurus cruise missiles.
Kyiv has appealed to Berlin repeatedly for the German-made weapons, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers — significantly outstripping other Western long-range missiles. Scholz has persistently denied Ukraine's requests.
"Three billion euros would not make the difference given the volume of funds available," Lindner said.
"I said on behalf of the Free Democrats in the coalition committee: if we want different, stronger support for Ukraine ... then Germany should make the decision to equip Ukraine with the weapons systems that the Ukrainians need to defend their freedom, in particular the Taurus weapons system."
According to Lindner, Scholz was not willing to entertain the suggestion, and he was fired shortly after.
Scholz's decision to fire Lindner will likely propel the country into a snap election in the near term.
According to members of the budget committee, Germany will still be able to provide most of the 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) promised to Ukraine, even if the 2025 budget is not approved in time due to the coalition collapse.
Political instability in Berlin may spell trouble for Kyiv as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party continues to rise. The Kremlin-friendly faction has continuously called for cutting funding for Ukraine.
