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

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Mar 2024 19:22

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

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.

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.