German lawmakers reject motion to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine

German lawmakers on January 17 voted against a proposal from the centre-right opposition Christian Democrats that included language on delivering Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Speaking to public broadcaster ARD ahead of the vote, Defense Committee Chair Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann criticized the Christian Democrats for using what she called a "partisan tactic" of tying the non-binding Taurus proposal to a debate on the state of the Bundeswehr and, in effect, setting up a no vote, Politico reports.

Regardless of this evening's vote, a final decision on Taurus deliveries to Ukraine will rest with the chair of Germany's Federal Security Council, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The chancellor has demurred in the past when pressed by lawmakers with similar motions for Taurus deliveries to Ukraine. That is despite France, the United Kingdom and the United States sending multiple deliveries of similar longer-range munitions to Ukrainian forces.

Earlier Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an aid package for Ukraine that included an additional 40 SCALP-EG cruise missiles, which are similar to the Taurus.