Merz will be convinced not to deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, once he begins to receive classified intelligence briefings on the matter, said Social Democracy leader Matthias Miersch. Speaking to the German news network ntv on April 16, Miersch criticized Merz’s readiness to deliver the Taurus and risk open confrontation with Russia.
“We have always been against it,” Miersch said. “I assume that Friedrich Merz, once fully informed by [intelligence] agencies, will reassess the issue clearly. We will then make the decision together,” he added.
“I assume that we do not want to contribute to an escalation or become a party to the war,” Miersch stated, as a reason for not delivering Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Outgoing Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, an SPD member, earlier said there are “many good arguments” against sending the Taurus, some of which cannot be discussed in public.
CDU member Merz must be aware that any move to deliver the Taurus will meet resistance from his coalition partner in the new government, the Social Democrats.
