Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian media: Israeli occupation forces storm the Old City in the center of Nablus, occupied West Bank
Local sources to Al Mayadeen: Sudanese army forces drones strike town of Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
Syrian Observatory: The plane is loaded with air defense systems and heavy weapons as part of US troop reinforcements to its bases in northeastern Syria
Syrian Observatory: US cargo plane lands with two military helicopters at Kharab al-Jir base in the countryside of Rmeilan, north of Hasakah
Miguel Díaz-Canel to Gustavo Petro: US seeks to reimpose the Monroe Doctrine in its relations with sovereign states in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades, the military wing of the PFLP, says they handed over the body of an Israeli captive to the Israeli occupation forces in implementation of the clauses of the ceasefire agreement.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: Israeli drones are flying over the presidential palace in Baabda, Mount Lebanon, and over the skies of the capital, Beirut, and its suburbs.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launch a series of raids on the al-Mahmoudiya and Jarmaq areas
Trump reiterates proposal for Russia and Ukraine to stop at current front line, negotiate later
Reuters: Trump says no discussion regarding Ukraine ceding Donbas to Russia

Use of Taurus missiles means 'declaring of war' on Russia: Wagenknecht

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 16 Mar 2024 19:22
3 Min Read

The politicians warned that if peace negotiations are not initiated promptly, Ukraine stands to lose even more of its territory.

  • x
  • German politician Sahra Wagenknecht, best-known face of the Left Party, arrives for a news conference to announce the founding of a precursor to a new party in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 23, 2023. (AP)
    German politician Sahra Wagenknecht, best-known face of the Left Party, arrives for a news conference to announce the founding of a precursor to a new party in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 23, 2023 (AP)

In an interview with German newspaper Rheinische Post, politician Sahra Wagenknecht stated on Saturday that if Ukraine were to potentially deploy German missiles, such as Taurus cruise missiles, against Russian territory, it would be viewed as Berlin declaring war on Russia.

When asked to comment on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's opposition to the potential supply of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, she replied: "If German cruise missiles hit targets in Russia, this will actually mean a declaration of war. There is a red line, and, probably, Taurus missiles are the red line, crossing which you become a party to the conflict."

The German politician also emphasized that the conflict in Ukraine is not primarily about the country's mere existence, but rather its prospective membership in NATO. Wagenknecht warned that if peace negotiations are not initiated promptly, Ukraine stands to lose even more of its territory.

"In the event Moscow agrees to an immediate ceasefire and peace negotiations, it is necessary to offer Russia the cessation of weapons supplies [to Ukraine]" the politician was quoted as saying by Rheinische Post.

Related News

Russia accuses UK, EU of backing sabotage, attacks via Ukraine

SVR chief says NATO Europe preparing for war with Russia

Read more: German lawmakers reject providing Kiev with long-range Taurus missiles

The Taurus missile is launched from a fighter jet and has a warhead weighing nearly half a ton against a fortified target up to 310 miles (about 500 kilometers) away, almost equivalent to the UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles. This means that the Taurus missile can hit the Russian capital, Moscow, which is about 450 kilometers away from the border with Ukraine.

A report published in January by the German newspaper Handelsblatt's revealed that UK authorities suggested that Berlin sells Taurus missiles to London to facilitate the latter's increased supply of Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. While German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius claimed he was unaware of such a proposal, Chancellor Scholz, on his part, has consistently opposed supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles, despite pressure from both the opposition and certain members within the ruling coalition.

"What is being done in the way of target control and accompanying target control on the part of the British and the French can’t be done in Germany. Everyone who has dealt with this system knows that," Scholz said in an interview with DPA in February. 

Earlier this month, a 38-minute recording of German army talks, in which the officers debated the possible use of Taurus missiles by Ukraine, was circulated on social media. They were discussing a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge using Taurus missiles. The officers also discussed means of maintaining plausible deniability so that Germany could tread as closely as possible to the "red line" of direct involvement without crossing it.

Read more: UK troops 'on the ground' in Ukraine, German leaks reveal

  • Nato
  • Taurus missiles
  • Russia
  • Germany
  • Sahra Wagenknecht
  • Ukraine

Most Read

Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari , during a ceremony in an undisclosed locations in Yemen, undate (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces mourn martyred Chief of Staff al-Ghamari

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
Zionists Fundamentally Misread Iran Due To Their Own Echo Chambers

Zionists fundamentally misread Iran due to their own echo chambers

  • Analysis
  • 15 Oct 2025
How an Israeli-backed firm spied on US churches to push propaganda

How an Israeli-backed firm spied on US churches to push propaganda

  • Politics
  • 15 Oct 2025
From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Inside Trump’s secret campaign to dismantle the ‘Deep State’: Reuters
Politics

Inside Trump’s secret campaign to dismantle the ‘Deep State’: Reuters

ap
Politics

Cuba's president denounces renewed US meddling in region, backs Petro

Bob Vylan: 'Who cares about the chant when Palestinians are killed?'
Arts and Culture

Bob Vylan: 'Who cares about the chant when Palestinians are killed?'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks before a lunch with President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Politics

Rubio leading US campaign to oust Maduro through force, sanctions: WSJ

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS