Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has called for the ban on the supply of Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine to be lifted. He believes this would allow Kyiv to effectively defend itself against ongoing attacks from Russia.

Merz noted that Ukraine is currently forced to fight with "one hand tied behind its back" because allies such as France, Britain and the United States are already providing Kyiv with long-range weapons, while Germany is holding back.

"I think we should cancel this so that Ukraine really has the ability to defend itself against attacks from Russia. There is already a majority in the Bundestag for the use of this weapon system," — Merz said.

Previously, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz repeatedly rejected the possibility of transferring Taurus missiles to Ukraine, citing the risk of escalating the conflict and the possible involvement of Germany in a confrontation with Russia. However, Merz stressed that the supply of these missiles will not make Germany a party to the conflict, recalling that other Western countries are already providing Ukraine with similar weapons.

"Delivering the Taurus is anything but entering into a conflict. Mrs. Wagenknecht, by the way, knows this," "Merz said, responding to criticism from far-left party leader Sahra Wagenknecht, who claimed that such supplies could drag Germany into the conflict.

The Taurus (Taurus KEPD 350) is a long-range air-launched cruise missile developed by the German-Swedish companies MBDA Deutschland and Saab Bofors Dynamics. The missile has a range of up to 500 km and a subsonic speed of about 1000 km/h. It is equipped with a high-explosive warhead with a dual charge, designed to destroy fortified objects such as bunkers. Guidance is carried out using an inertial system, GPS and radar scanning of the terrain, which ensures high accuracy. Taurus is compatible with various combat aircraft, including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Tornado, F/A-18 and Gripen. The main purpose of the missile is the destruction of strategic targets such as command posts, ammunition depots and radars. It is in service with Germany, Spain and South Korea. In 2023, the possibility of its delivery to Ukraine was first discussed.