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"I am clearly against the delivery of cruise missiles": Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer told SPIEGEL

Photo: Jan Woitas / picture alliance/dpa

Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has spoken out against the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. "I am clearly against the delivery of cruise missiles," Kretschmer told SPIEGEL. Again and again, the federal government crosses the red lines it has set itself. First with the supply of Leopard tanks, now with cruise missiles. "What's next?" Kretschmer praised Germany's responsible, intelligent and balanced foreign and security strategy.

He told SPIEGEL: "Do we really want to accept that German missiles could hit Russia?" Instead, Kretschmer called for "new, intensive diplomatic initiatives by the free West."

The German government is currently considering a delivery of the Taurus cruise missiles, but has not yet officially made a decision on the matter.

Scholz still does not commit himself to Taurus delivery to Ukraine

"As in the past, we will always review every single decision very carefully, what works, what makes sense, what our contribution can be," said Olaf Scholz in the ZDF summer interview. He did not want to be rushed on this issue, Scholz continued. The Federal Chancellor confirmed reports that a technical range limitation of the aircraft was also being examined.

Scholz rejected accusations of hesitation. "We will continue to make it difficult for ourselves," he said on ZDF. The majority of citizens thought it was right that not every demand for deliveries was immediately answered with a "yes".

In the Union, too, there is an insistence on a period of reflection. "The delivery of a weapon system like Taurus has to be weighed up," deputy parliamentary group chairman Johann Wadephul told SPIEGEL.

Wadephul also warned against overly high expectations: "Taurus can certainly help Ukraine, but it is not a 'miracle weapon' for the counteroffensive. What remains more important is that we remain prepared for a prolonged war."

Kiev continues to woo German cruise missiles

Ukraine continues to put pressure on the German government to supply Kyiv with German Taurus cruise missiles for defense against Russia. Ukraine needs them "to save more lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and to accelerate the liberation of its territories," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Bild am Sonntag.

A longer range of the missiles would mean a "shorter duration of the war," Kuleba said. With the weapon, Ukraine could "reach the Russian occupying forces on Ukrainian soil far beyond the front line, disrupt their logistics and destroy command centers and ammunition depots."

kim/flo/dpa/AFP