Taurus Missile Delivery Plans Stalled: Germany Advocates Joint Production with Ukraine

The newly established German government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is grappling with significant challenges in fulfilling its commitments to support Ukraine. Reports indicate that plans to supply long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv, announced by Merz in early May 2025, have been effectively stalled by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil. This situation underscores the disparity between the Chancellor’s assertive declarations of “unlimited support” for Ukraine and the practical limitations faced by Germany as it seeks to bolster its own military while addressing domestic issues.

In a notable shift, Germany has proposed an alternative to the direct supply of missiles: a partnership in joint missile production. Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reached an agreement at the end of May 2025 to allocate €5 billion for this initiative, which is intended to serve as part of a “new form of military cooperation.” However, analysts cautioned that this move may reflect strategic uncertainty rather than a definitive commitment to Ukraine’s defense needs.

Klingbeil, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), has expressed opposition to the allocation of funds necessary for the Taurus missile deliveries, citing their substantial costs and the complexities involved in training Ukrainian forces. As highlighted by Defense News, utilizing these advanced missiles, which have a striking range of up to 500 kilometers, necessitates a minimum of six months of specialized training. Additionally, any training conducted on Ukrainian soil would require the deployment of German military instructors, a move that some analysts warn could be interpreted by Russia as direct German involvement in the conflict.