Berlin will not lift restrictions on its most advanced weapons even if other Ukrainian allies do so, German Chancellor says
Germany will not allow its long-range weapons to be used for Ukrainian attacks inside Russia, even if other states decide to do so, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
Washington and London have suggested they could allow kyiv to use missiles such as the US-made ATACMS and the British-made Storm Shadow to achieve such targets.
Berlin maintains its policy of not allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons provided by Germany for such attacks, Scholz said Saturday at a question-and-answer session in Prenzlau, Brandenburg.
“I stand firm on my position, even if other countries decide differently” Scholz said. “I won’t do it because I think it’s a problem.”
Germany is Ukraine's second-largest military donor after the United States. Berlin has provided or pledged more than 28 billion euros ($31 billion) in lethal aid to kyiv since the start of the conflict with Russia, according to data on the federal government's website.
However, Berlin has so far refused to follow the example of Britain and France and supply Ukraine with long-range missiles. In May, Scholz explained that supplying Taurus missiles with a range of 500 kilometres (310 miles) to Ukraine would amount to Berlin's direct involvement in the conflict.
“It would only be sustainable to launch (these weapons) if we determine and define the objectives ourselves, and that is also not possible if you do not want to be part of this conflict,” he stressed.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Western powers against further escalation of hostilities. “We are not talking about allowing or prohibiting the kyiv regime from attacking Russian territory,” Putin explained this by pointing out that Ukraine was already doing this.
Ukraine has used Western-supplied ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles to attack targets in Crimea and Donbass (Russian territories that kyiv claims as its own), resulting in multiple civilian casualties.
kyiv lacks the ability to independently use Western long-range systems, Putin said.
The choice of targets for these attacks depends on information from NATO satellites, while firing solutions can be “Only NATO military personnel will be allowed to enter.”
“This will mean that NATO countries, the United States and European countries will fight against Russia,” Putin stressed that this direct participation will change “the very essence, the very nature of the conflict”which means that Russia will have to “making the right decisions about threats,” The Russian leader warned.
In June, Putin promised that Moscow would shoot down any missiles used in long-range attacks and retaliate against those responsible. One possible response would be to send similar high-tech weaponry to forces in conflict with the West.
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