German parliament rejects motion for Taurus missiles for Ukraine

The German conservative opposition has once again failed with a parliamentary motion calling on Berlin to supply German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine after a majority of lawmaker voted against it on Thursday.

A total of 687 lawmakers took part in the vote, with 494 voting against, 188 in favour and five abstentions. The conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group has 197 lawmakers.

The Taurus system is characterized by its long range of 500 kilometres and high precision. The weapon makes it possible to destroy Russian ammunition depots, protected command centres and vital war infrastructure far behind the front line. It could even target Moscow.

The 19-kilometre-long Kerch Bridge was repeatedly cited as an example. It connects Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014 in violation of international law, and the Russian mainland.

Opponents of a delivery, most prominently German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, say it has the potential to escalate the conflict and drag Germany into the war.

The CDU/CSU, on the other hand, vehemently campaigned in the Bundestag on Thursday in favour of helping Ukraine with the delivery of the cruise missiles.

Deputy CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Johann Wadephul said that determination and clarity were needed in supporting Ukraine. Addressing Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD), he said: "Their supposed prudence has only fuelled {Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression against Ukraine time and time again. That is the result."

Agnieszka Brugger, deputy chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group, announced that the Greens - who are in coalition with Scholz's SPD and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) would not vote in favour of the CDU/CSU motion, but she said she was in favour of the demand.

In contrast to the senior coalition partner, the FDP and the Greens have been in favour of a delivery of the Taurus missile system to Ukraine for months. Scholz, on the other hand, had argued that the cruise missiles could only be deployed with the participation of German soldiers, which would increase the risk of Germany being drawn into the war in Ukraine.

SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich defended Scholz's opposition to the delivery of the Taurus system. These times of change are "not for political gamblers," he said using the term Scholz coined, "Zeitenwende," or turning point.

Scholz promised a major "Zeitenwende" in Germany's defence policy shortly after Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

"What is needed is reason, prudence and clarity. And that is what the federal chancellor is doing in the deliberations he has head of government," said Mützenich.

The other opposition parties, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the hard-left Die Linke (The Left), also opposed sending the missile system.

Scholz assures Zelensky of continued military support

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky continued support "in the military sphere."

Scholz discussed the political, military and humanitarian situation in Ukraine in a telephone conversation with Zelensky on Thursday, according to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.

He assured him that Germany would continue its support "in close coordination with European and international partners."

On Thursday, the German lower house of parliament, the Bundestag once again rejected the immediate delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine by a large majority.

The conservative opposition's motion to transfer the long-range weapons system "without delay" failed to gain a majority.

On Friday, Scholz plans to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin - against the backdrop of massive Franco-German differences on Ukraine policy.

Macron had recently not ruled out the deployment of troops on the ground in Ukraine, to which Scholz publicly objected on several occasions. "As German chancellor, I will not send soldiers from our Bundeswehr to Ukraine," he made clear.