Ex-German leader criticizes govt.'s cautiousness regarding missile supply to Ukraine

German ex-President Joachim Gauck has criticised the current German government's cautious stance on supplying Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles.

"I don't know much about military affairs, but I have talked to people with the necessary military knowledge. After these conversations, I can no longer understand why we are hesitating to supply these weapons and other ammunition," Gauck said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

"I look at what we are doing with concern and question whether our support is sufficient amid the exhausting positional warfare and large-scale Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities," he added.

Gauck noted that there is no international legal prohibition on providing armed assistance to a victim of aggression.

He believes Ukraine should receive the Taurus missiles, as "a Russian victory would jeopardise the security of other European states in the medium term".

After Russia's large-scale missile attacks on Ukraine, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chair of the German Bundestag’s Defence Committee, has also advocated for Taurus missiles for Ukraine. She pointed out that Ukraine is currently in dire need of "artillery ammunition, Taurus and spare parts for the heavy equipment we supply".

Furthermore, several leading representatives of the German Bundestag who are defence spokespersons have spoken out in favour of providing Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles to strike targets in Russia.

Meanwhile, the German government persistently refuses to supply long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.