(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his decision not to give Ukraine Taurus long-range missiles, even as the US has decided to authorize Kyiv to use its weapons to strike inside Russia.
“I am firmly convinced that many citizens in Germany are worried about security and peace in Europe,” Scholz told reporters Monday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, when asked about his Taurus stance.
He stressed the need to “act prudently.” While pressure is growing on Scholz to relent in his refusal to send Ukraine the powerful German weapon system, which can hit targets at a distance of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), he remains unmoved.
Taurus missiles could only be provided to Ukraine if German soldiers were involved in the control of targeting, “but that is something I cannot and do not want to be responsible for,” Scholz said. “That remains my own approach.”
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