Overview

• Friedrich Merz has expressed openness to providing Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, contingent on European-level approval and coordination.
• This marks a departure from outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s refusal to supply such weapons, citing risks of escalating the conflict with Russia.
• Merz emphasized the need for Ukraine to transition from a defensive to a proactive military strategy in its fight against Russian aggression.
• He condemned a recent Russian attack in Soumy, which killed at least 34 civilians, as a deliberate war crime and a grave escalation of violence.
• The proposal has drawn criticism from Russia, with Kremlin officials warning that such actions could intensify the conflict further.