Merz on military support, is Germany sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine?

2025-11-21 19:10:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

With a range of up to 500 kilometers, the Taurus missile is considered long-range, but so far the current German government, like its predecessor, has refused to supply Ukraine with them.

After a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany was working intensively with the Ukrainian government on long-range missile projects.

"The Ukrainian army is being equipped with such weapons systems," Merz said, adding that no further details on the weapons deliveries to Kiev will be made public.

"This is a deliberate strategy to provide some lack of clarity to the Russian side about the extent to which we are providing military support here," Merz explained.

"I can only say this," Merz continued.

"We are doing everything we can to equip the Ukrainian army with weapons systems that have the appropriate range of action. In the coming weeks and months, if necessary, this will be increased, including the production of such weapons systems in Ukraine itself."

Change in the position of Taurus missiles?

But does this mean that Ukraine could soon be equipped with the Taurus cruise missile?

The decision was made by former Chancellor Olaf Scholz while in office, who justified his refusal to send them to Ukraine by the fact that the risk of Germany becoming a belligerent was too great.

"We should not be tied to the targets that this system reaches at any point and in any place," Scholz said, alluding to the cruise missile's range.

The distance from Ukraine's northern border to Moscow is about 500 kilometers and in theory, the Taurus ship could be used to strike the Russian capital, one of the main reasons why the delivery to Kiev was rejected.

However, during his election campaign, Merz said he was open to supplying Ukraine with missiles. However, during his first official visit to Kiev, he announced that the government would no longer publish any information about the weapons it was using to support Ukraine.

So far, there is no information whether the weapon is located in Ukraine or is being used by the Ukrainian military.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was asked last week after a meeting of the Group of Five defense ministers whether Germany was prepared to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Pistorius simply replied that he could not comment on that.

Will Flamingo replace Taurus?

However, like Merz, he reiterated that the Ukrainian defense industry is receiving financial support. A press release on support for the production of long-range weapons in Ukraine on May 28 states that "Germany will finance the production of long-range weapon systems in Ukraine in the future."

"A significant number of long-range weapon systems will be produced in 2025. The weapon systems will be quickly available to the Ukrainian armed forces - the first ones could be deployed in just a few weeks," said a press release from the German Ministry of Defense, previously reported by Euronews.

It is not clear which weapons systems are involved. In August, Ukrainian defense company Fire Point introduced its Flamingo cruise missile, manufactured in Ukraine.

According to the company, the missile's name is intended to symbolize its long range of up to 3,000 kilometers, precise "light-footed" navigation, and flight stability.

It is also unclear whether Germany is involved in financing this missile program./ CNA