Friedrich Merz, the leader of the party that won the German election, called the Russian missile strike on the city of Sumy on Palm Sunday a “serious war crime.” Ukraine therefore needs strong help in the ongoing military conflict, said Merz, who is officially due to take office as chancellor in early May.
Asked whether he would supply Ukraine with Taurus (the longest-range Western missiles it receives), Merz told ARD he was ready to do so in coordination with European allies: “Our European partners are already supplying cruise missiles. The British are doing it, the French are doing it, and yes, eventually the Americans as well. We need to agree on this together. And, if we agree, Germany should take part.” The range of the Taurus (up to 500 km) significantly exceeds the performance of the American ATACMS (up to 300 km), as well as the British Storm Shadow and its French counterpart SCALP-EG (250–290 km in the export version).
