Scholz Holds Back on Taurus Missile Delivery to Ukraine, Cites Legal Conundrums
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been keeping Ukraine waiting on their request for Taurus cruise missiles since May, and it appears the government isn't making any effort to address the supposed legal issues preventing the delivery. According to defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter, the German government is playing a dangerous game of deception with Parliament, the public, and international partners about the Taurus issue.
Kiesewetter’s Take on the Chancellor's Deception
Kiesewetter, a member of the CDU, believes the German government is purposely misleading Parliament, the populace, and its partners regarding the Taurus issue. This conclusion is drawn from the response Scholz gave to Kiesewetter's question about the Taurus request.
For five long months, Scholz ignored Ukraine's plea for the Taurus cruise missiles. When the refusal eventually came in October, Scholz cited "fraudulent legal reasons,” as Kiesewetter put it in an interview with ntv.de. This statement contradicts the government’s long-standing assertion that legal issues were preventing a delivery.
Government's Inaction on Clarifying Legal Issues
Kiesewetter later found out that the German Federal Government has not commissioned any expert opinions to clear up any unresolved legal issues regarding the Taurus delivery since May. This revelation, according to Kiesewetter, indicates that the government had no legitimate legal reasons for denying Ukraine the Taurus missiles.
If there were indeed legal questions about Taurus, an expert opinion would have been drafted to clarify the matter. However, since no such opinion has been produced, Kiesewetter is puzzled about how the Ministers would have been planning to tackle the supposed legal hurdles without commissioning a crucial examination.
Concerns Over Bundeswehr Involvement in Ukraine
One concern expressed in government circles was the potential need for Bundeswehr soldiers to program Taurus on Ukrainian soil. This would require Parliamentary approval and cross a significant red line drawn by all NATO states, potentially making Germany a direct party to the conflict.
While a legal assessment based on expert opinions was never carried out, it appears that Kiesewetter’s assumptions about the government’s intentions are unfounded.
Authorities’ Reluctance to Justify Decision
Despite Kiesewetter’s inquiry to the Federal Government, no clear justification was provided for denying Ukraine the Taurus cruise missiles. With no expert opinions commissioned and no detail offered, Scholz’s refusal appears to be more about political will than a genuine concern for legal precedent or geopolitical implications.
Security Expert Believes Legal Concerns Are Flimsy
Security expert Gustav Gressel disagrees with the government’s claims that legal concerns bar the Taurus delivery. The author of a study on “Geopolitics and the new European order” argues that the German government could provide Ukraine with the required geodata using a protocol similar to those used by other countries.
Additionally, the programming of Taurus can be completed without the presence of Bundeswehr soldiers, Gressel asserts. Sweden, Spain, and South Korea, all Taurus users, do not rely on a permanent German contingent for the integration of the cruise missile into their existing systems.
Emotional Obstacles at Play
In Gressel’s view, the German government's refusal to deliver Taurus to Ukraine is more of an emotional problem than a matter of legal or diplomatic complexity. Scholz, along with large sections of the SPD, did not want German weapons to be associated with the distressing images of the conflict or contribute to its escalation.
However, Gressel acknowledges that this explanation is not easily rationalized. The German Chancellor's intransigence on the issue of Taurus supplies leaves many scratched their heads in bewilderment.
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- While the German government has yet to respond to Ukraine’s request for Taurus cruise missiles, CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter accuses the government of deception over its reasons for denying the request.
- Despite ongoing debates within the Federal Government about arms deliveries to Ukraine, no expert opinions have been commissioned to clarify potential legal issues surrounding the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
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