
Bundestag votes against Taurus missiles for Ukraine for third time in 2024
Of the 687 lawmakers who participated in the vote, 494 voted against the delivery, with 188 voting in favor and five abstaining.
Of the 687 lawmakers who participated in the vote, 494 voted against the delivery, with 188 voting in favor and five abstaining.
Key developments on March 11: * CNN: Russia producing 3 times more shells than US, Europe can provide to Ukraine * Baerbock says Taurus-Storm Shadow missiles swap 'an option' * Zelensky: Ukraine building 2,000 kilometers of fortifications * Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 3, injure 13 over past day Russia is set to
Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she was open to a deal in which London supplies Ukraine with additional Storm Shadow missiles in exchange for Germany backfilling British long-range missile stocks.
An "individual error" resulted in a call between high-ranking German military officers being leaked after one officer joined the meeting from abroad via an insecure line, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at a press conference on March 5.
Russia is ready to expel German journalists in retaliation for any measures taken against Russian journalists in Germany, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed on March 5, according to state-owned media agency RIA Novosti.
The ambassador's summons is related to an alleged leaked recording of talks between high-ranking German military officials about the possible delivery of Taurus long-range missiles, the agency claims.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the publication of a leaked conversation between German military officers a disinformation attack on March 3, according to German media.
The U.K. government has discreetly urged Berlin to supply Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, as Germany refuses to approve this critical capability, Bloomberg reported on March 1, citing undisclosed sources.
Ukraine can use Finnish-provided weapons to strike Russian territory, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told the Finnish Broadcasting Company on Feb. 29.
British MP Tobias Ellwood accused German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of a "flagrant abuse of intelligence" when he mentioned to journalists that the British and French support Ukraine with missile guidance, the Telegraph reported on Feb. 28.
Key developments on Feb. 26: * Military: Ukraine withdraws from Lastochkyne near Avdiivka * Syrskyi drawing up two war plans contingent on US aid, Zelensky says * Scholz again rules out Germany's delivery of long-range Taurus missiles * Kuleba calls for Europe to suspend ammunition sales to third countries * Military intelligence: Russia plans to
Scholz is reportedly against sending Taurus missiles to Kyiv because he fears the move will draw Germany into the war. Ukraine has received other long-range missiles, such as the Storm Shadow from the U.K. and the French-made SCALP.
The German parliament held two votes on providing long-range weapons to Ukraine on Feb. 22, first rejecting a motion explicitly mentioning Taurus missiles, followed by supporting a motion calling for Germany to send additional long-range weapons.