UK suggests donating more Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine in exchange for German Taurus
British Foreign Minister David Cameron said this in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung, Ukrinform reports.
"It is absolutely possible to set limits on the use of these weapons to ensure that they do not contribute to escalation in any way," said the head of the British foreign policy office, according to a report released in German.
He emphasized that Britain trusts Ukrainian partners who keep their word and do not use the weapons provided to them in a way that the partners who transfer them would not wish. The weapons provided to the Armed Forces of Ukraine serve "Ukraine’s defenses," the British minister emphasized.
However, as he noted, if Germany is unwilling to send its missiles to Ukraine directly, the UK is ready to use the "ring exchange" scheme that implies donating more Storm Shadow missiles to Kyiv and receiving Taurus missiles from Germany in return.
"We are determined to work closely with our German partners to this end, as in all other matters, to help Ukraine. We are ready to consider all options to achieve the maximum effect for Ukraine," Cameron said, adding that the parties would not divulge any details.
As reported, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, despite mounting pressure, opposes the transfer of longer-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. He explained this by fears that Germany might be drawn into a direct armed conflict with Russia.
The topic of longer-range missiles was discussed during the strategic dialogue between German and British top diplomats in Berlin last Thursday.
Some media reported the UK had offered Germany a solution that would allow it to send its missiles to Ukraine.
Germany introduced the "ring exchange" scheme at the outset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in order to encourage allies who had Soviet-era weapons in stock to donate them to Ukraine in exchange for more modern ones offered by Germany.
