Germany to send Patriot air defense system to Ukraine but resists Taurus missiles – POLITICO

kyiv has pleaded with its Western allies for additional military supplies, including more Patriot missile batteries. Western support has weakened in recent months, with a major US aid plan blocked by partisan infighting in the US Congress.

Despite this new aid, Scholz still refuses to supply kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles – a decision strongly criticized by Zelensky earlier this week. Ukraine wants German-made Taurus missiles, which have a range of about 500 kilometers and carry a powerful warhead, to be able to hit targets behind front lines, such as the Kerch Bridge linking Russia to occupied Crimea .

Scholz categorically refused to send German missiles to Ukraine, arguing that this could lead to an escalation of the war, or even draw Germany into direct conflict with Russia.

In his message on “This is a real show of support for Ukraine at a critical time. I urge all leaders of other partner countries to follow suit,” Zelenskyy said.

As Western military aid to Ukraine slows, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s army pleaded Saturday for faster support from allies to counter Moscow’s military superiority. Oleksandr Syrskyi said the situation on Ukraine’s eastern front had “significantly deteriorated in recent days.”