German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s claims that the British and French militaries fire cruise missiles in Ukraine were “wrong, irresponsible and a slap in the face to allies,” the chair of the UK parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Alicia Kearns stated on Thursday, according to Bild.
We gave Storm Shadow, we all have to give what we can. Scholz should give Taurus and stop holding back the security of Europe.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin earlier this week, Scholz justified his continued refusal to send German Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine by arguing that German troops in Ukraine might be required to operate them. This would make Germany an active participant in the conflict, the Chancellor claimed.
“This is a very far-reaching weapon. And what the British and French are doing in terms of target control and support for target control cannot be done in Germany.”
Taurus missiles have a powerful warhead that can destroy fortified targets or infrastructure and strike deep behind enemy lines. Last year, the UK government confirmed that it had sent long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, with France soon following suit by sending equivalent SCALP missiles.
Although UK officials had previously called for some instructors to be stationed in Ukraine on a limited basis, London officially stated that it was Kyiv that would be responsible for the use of the missiles. Former British Defence Minister Ben Wallace, who sent the Storm Shadows, declared that Scholz was “the wrong man, in the wrong job at the wrong time.”
Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow and its targeting processes are the business of the armed forces of Ukraine.
