Senior SPD figure rejects supplying German Taurus missiles to Kiev
The parliamentary group leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) has rejected the possibility of supplying German-made long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
"We do not want to become a party of war and that is how we have always understood the rejection of the Taurus delivery and that is how it remains," said Matthias Miersch in Berlin on Tuesday.
Kiev has long been pressing Germany to provide the cruise missiles which would allow it to strike targets on Russian soil far beyond the front line.
The previous SPD-led government always rejected the request over concerns of being drawn into the war, but a new conservative-led government has since taken office in Berlin, fuelling hope in Kiev of a possible change of course.
In the run-up to February's elections, new Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled openness to providing the missiles to ramp up pressure on Moscow, but has said he would only do so in coordination with European partners.
Following one of the worst election results in its history, the SPD agreed to become the junior partner in Merz's coalition government.
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