Bundestag Committee chair to Scholz: Time to decide on Taurus for Ukraine after US approves aid

The head of the defense committee of the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, again appealed to the chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, with a call to transfer Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine.

She stated this to the t-online publication, commenting on the expected transfer of American ATACMS missiles to Kyiv, Ukrinform reports.

"The chancellor has always assured that he is focused on the United States. The USA will now deliver long-range ATACMS to Ukraine. This is reason enough to act now on the Taurus issue," said the MP from the liberal Free Democratic Party of Germany.

American media reported that the USA may transfer to Ukraine a long-range version of the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) short-range ballistic capabilities. The Biden administration is apparently ready to donate to Ukraine 1,000 ballistic missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers. Previously, ATACMS sent to Ukraine had a shorter range (up to 165 km).

So far, only the UK and France have supplied Ukraine with similar systems (Storm Shadow and Scalp), albeit in limited quantities.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Strack-Zimmerman had been actively urging the chancellor to approve Taurus supplies to Ukraine since the issue emerged. She even became the only lawmaker from the ruling coalition who, contrary to tradition, voted in support of the motion, filed by opposition, that contained such a demand to the government. Strack-Zimmermann is currently running for European Parliament as the main candidate from the Free Democratic Party of Germany.

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed bill H.R.815, which provides for assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as a response to other challenges facing U.S. national security.

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