Ramstein meeting on Tuesday
Stoltenberg calls for Taurus delivery to Kiev
September 18, 2023, 2:25 a.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Stoltenberg masters the language of diplomacy. Nevertheless, the NATO Secretary General is now warning Germany remarkably clearly to supply Ukraine with the long-range Taurus cruise missiles. The CDU is expecting the decision on Tuesday.
In the debate about German Taurus cruise missiles for Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of such weapon systems for warfare and indirectly encouraged Germany to deliver them. He welcomed the fact that “some allies – Great Britain, France, the United States – have already delivered long-range missile systems,” Stoltenberg told the Funke newspapers. Germany is a leading nation in providing military support to Ukraine. “Germany’s strong support for Ukraine – including tanks and air defense systems – is making a crucial difference.” Stoltenberg added that Ukraine had the right to self-defense enshrined in the UN Charter. “And if we take the UN Charter seriously, we must help Ukraine defend itself.”
He does not see an immediate danger of nuclear escalation. “We are closely monitoring what the Russian army is doing. So far we have not noticed any changes in the Russian nuclear forces that would prompt us to respond.” At the same time, Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO was prepared for the use of nuclear weapons. “The purpose of NATO is to prevent war – especially nuclear war. We have a credible deterrent.”
Kiesewetter believes the decision will be made on Tuesday
CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter said he expects a decision on the Taurus delivery to Ukraine soon. “There is a Ramstein meeting on Tuesday, and we will experience certain innovations that Omid Nouripour announced last week,” said Kiesewetter that evening on the ARD program “Anne Will.” “I am firmly convinced that in the coming week we will get a date by when Taurus, by when F-16, but also by when ATACMS will be delivered.”
The Green Party’s federal chairman Omid Nouripour said on ZDF on Thursday evening that he assumed that “the announcement will actually come very quickly that the Taurus are going over because they are needed.” There are still some details to be clarified and discussions to be held with partners, but this will happen quickly.
Ukraine has been demanding Taurus cruise missiles for a long time. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has always been cautious about this. US media recently reported that Washington could soon hand over short-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles to Ukraine. With the two higher-range weapon systems, Kiev could, for example, attack the supply of the Russian army deep in the occupied territory.