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Ukraine seeks missiles after Germany promises helicopters

January 24, 2024

Ukraine is renewing its appeal for Germany to send Taurus missiles after Berlin agreed for the first time to supply Kyiv with military helicopters.

https://p.dw.com/p/4bcLq
A Westland Mk41 Sea King helicopter
The German Defense Ministry plans to send six of the multi-role helicopters from Bundeswehr stocksImage: Wolfgang Minich/picture alliance

The Ukrainian government on Wednesday said it had renewed talks with the German government about the delivery of Taurus missiles, a move rejected by Bundestag lawmakers last week.

A day earlier, the German Defense Ministry promised Ukraine six combat helicopters, plus accessories, spare parts, and training.

Why is Ukraine asking for the missiles again?

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told several media outlets that Ukraine does not need the Taurus weapon system to attack Russian territory.

"We don't need Taurus to attack Moscow," Kuleba told the German mass-market newspaper Bild, pushing back against fears in Berlin that the long-range missiles might be used to attack sovereign Russian territory.

Instead, he said, the Taurus weapons would be used against Russian military infrastructure on occupied Ukrainian land.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far refused to supply the missiles over fears that their deployment against Russia could lead to further escalation.

Why the war in Ukraine is at an impasse

Scholz's center-left-led coalition last week rejected a motion from opposition conservatives in the Bundestag last week on the delivery of the weapons.

Helicopters to be delivered

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday promised Ukraine six Sea King Mk41 multipurpose helicopters, praising the capability of the aircraft.

"The Sea King is a proven and robust helicopter that will help the Ukrainians in many areas: from reconnaissance over the Black Sea to transporting soldiers. It is the first German delivery of its kind," said Pistorius.

The decades-old helicopters are currently used for sea rescues over the North Sea and Baltic Sea and are to be replaced by the newer NH-90 Sea Lion naval transport helicopter.

The German Defense Ministry said military deliveries from Germany have totaled around €6 billion ($6.5 billion) since the start of the war in February 2022.

Ahead of the announcement, Ukraine's supporters had met via video link in the so-called Ramstein format for advisory talks on how to support Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russia's invasion.

rc/sms (AFP, dpa)

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