Ukraine has sent an official request to the federal government for the delivery of Taurus air-to-surface cruise missiles with a range of at least 500 km, the German Defense Ministry told the AFP news agency on Saturday.
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“We received an inquiry from the Ukrainian side in the last few days,” said the spokesman, without giving details of the quantities.
It remains to be seen whether Berlin agrees or not, which is likely to spark fierce internal debates.
The federal government has significantly increased its arms deliveries to Kiev in recent months, but has so far been reluctant to discuss cruise missiles or support for the Ukrainian air force, for example with the delivery of F-16 fighter jets.
The Taurus is a fighter-borne air-to-surface cruise missile developed by the German-Swedish company of the same name. Due to its range, it would be able to hit targets far behind the current front line in eastern Ukraine.
The United Kingdom, one of Kiev’s main supporters, recently announced its intention to supply Ukraine with Storm Shadow cruise missiles, becoming the first country to supply this type of long-range weapon to Ukraine.
These developments come as Kiev has been preparing for months a counter-offensive to repel Russian troops from their occupied areas of Ukraine.