Bundeswehr refrains from comments on possibility of sending Ukraine cruise missiles

That’s according to Arno Kollatz, the ministry’s spokesman who gave a briefing on Monday, Ukrinform reports.

"I have nothing to add to the defense minister's latest statements," Kollatz said.

The officer also declined to comment on the technical details of the weapon in question citing security concerns.

Earlier, the foreign policy spokesman at the ruling Social Democratic Party faction in the Bundestag, Niels Schmid, said he did not rule out the possibility that Germany, together with the Americans, would transfer "additional systems such as the Taurus", but on the condition that the Ukrainians themselves could program the missile to hit the target without involving German military. However, the politician does not see the need to make a relevant decision immediately.

Meanwhile, opposition conservatives have long been calling for the transfer of this type of weapon to Ukraine.

Ukraine has been asking Germany to provide Taurus cruise missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers since early summer but German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has repeatedly stated that Berlin is not considering the possibility of transferring these missiles to Ukraine in the foreseeable future due to fears that the German weapons could be used to strikes targeting Russian soil. Speaking on the sidelines of the NATO summit in July, ne noted that Berlin did not intend to change its stance on the issue.