Germany takes risk of becoming target for Russia
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sparked controversy by suggesting that Ukraine could use German-supplied weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia without restriction. Speaking at a public event hosted by a major German broadcaster, Merz stated that there are no longer range limitations on German weapons used by Ukrainian forces.
His comments have stirred confusion. Though they appeared to signal a shift in policy, members of his own coalition and even Merz himself later claimed he was not revealing anything new. Critics argue Merz may have spoken impulsively, likening his erratic style to that of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Currently, the German weapons in Ukrainian hands—such as the MARS II rocket system and the Panzerhaubitze 2000—have relatively short ranges (84 km and 56 km, respectively), making the lifting of range restrictions militarily insignificant. However, some believe Merz’s remarks were a strategic move to pave the way for sending long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
This interpretation is supported by Thomas Röwekamp, a fellow conservative and head of Germany’s Defense Committee, who claims that Chancellor Olaf Scholz previously used the Taurus missile’s 500+ km range as justification for withholding it. Removing such range limits, Röwekamp suggests, would enable the controversial transfer.
Germany’s Green Party has renewed its calls for sending the Taurus, despite widespread concerns. The missile could potentially reach deep into Russian territory, including Moscow, and Germany's own air force has acknowledged that Ukrainian forces lack the technical capacity to operate the missile independently. This means German personnel would likely be directly involved in targeting and launching the missile—making Germany an active participant in the conflict from Moscow's perspective.
A Russian defense analyst recently stated on national television that if Germany proceeds with this plan, Russia should retaliate—at the very least—with conventional missile strikes on German Taurus production facilities. This escalation would effectively place Germany at war with Russia for the first time since World War II.
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