German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz announced the lifting of restrictions on weapons sent to Ukraine, joining France, the UK, and the US in this decision. This change allows Ukraine to target military positions in Russia. Merz emphasized continued support for Ukraine but did not specify the decisions made by the involved countries regarding the weapons range.
The Kremlin condemned this decision as “dangerous,” stating it undermines peace efforts and conflicts with Russia’s political goals. It has long criticized the West for supplying Ukraine with long-range weapons.
Historically, during the initial stages of the invasion in 2022, the West limited weapons supply to avoid escalation. However, the UK and France have since supplied cruise missiles with a range of approximately 250 km, while the US allowed Ukraine to use Army Tactical Missile Systems last November.
Previously, Germany, under Prime Minister Olaf Scholz, hesitated to provide long-range Taurus missiles due to concerns about escalating tensions. Although Merz supports providing such weapons, he did not clarify Germany’s stance in his recent remarks, indicating a new policy of strategic ambiguity regarding which weapons will be sent to Ukraine.
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