KYIV: During a surprise visit to Kyiv by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Germany to promptly supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles. While Baerbock promised unwavering support for Ukraine and praised its progress toward EU membership, Kuleba emphasized the urgency of a decision on missile deliveries.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Baerbock, Kuleba expressed his frustration, saying, “I don’t understand why we’re wasting time. We could have achieved more and saved more lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians if we already had Taurus missiles.” Ukrainian forces initiated a counteroffensive against entrenched Russian positions in June, but progress has been slow.
Kyiv has repeatedly appealed to Western allies for fighter jets and missiles capable of targeting deeper inside Russian-controlled territory.
Kuleba stressed the importance of expediting the decision, stating, “We respect your procedures, but from everything we know about Taurus, there is not a single objective argument against not doing it,” referring to Berlin’s deliberation on the missile deliveries.
Germany’s Support for Ukraine
Germany, a significant political and military supporter of Ukraine, has previously provided Leopard 2 tanks and air defense systems.
In response to Kuleba’s call for missile deliveries, Baerbock commented, “As with previous deliveries we have made, all these issues must be resolved.”
This visit marked Annalena Baerbock’s fourth to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. During her address, she reaffirmed Germany’s steadfast support for Ukraine, stating that Germany “won’t let up on its support.”
Notably, the United Kingdom and France have already supplied Ukraine with their Storm Shadow and SCALP long-range missiles, which Kyiv contends are necessary to disrupt Russian supply lines.
The prospect of Ukraine’s EU membership was another significant point of discussion during the meeting between Ukrainian and European diplomats. Ukraine achieved EU candidacy status a year ago and hopes to commence formal negotiations this year to solidify its membership bid.
Baerbock acknowledged that Ukraine had made “good progress” in some areas, particularly judicial reforms, but stressed that there was still “some way to go” in addressing corruption.
Germany reiterated its “resolute support for Ukraine on its way into the European Union,” reinforcing its commitment to Ukraine’s EU aspirations.
