Scholz's surprise visit to Kyiv: Germany boosts aid, denies missiles

Bild recalls that these weapons have been sought by Ukrainian authorities for several months. The position of the German authorities remains unchanged, as do the arguments used by Olaf Scholz.

"So the firm no remains. The Chancellor believes it is too dangerous. Scholz thinks that if Ukraine launched a German Taurus deep into Russia, the war could escalate," wrote the German newspaper.

The Taurus missiles are characterized by a length of 16 feet and a weight of approximately 3,100 pounds, of which about 1,100 pounds is the MEPHISTO warhead (Multi-Effect Penetrator, Highly Sophisticated and Target Optimized). This missile offers high destructive power and features a unique design and capabilities not found in competing solutions. It can be detonated not only like a classic fragmentation bomb but also acts as a "bunker buster" when detonated with a delay after piercing a user-defined number of obstacles.

Another important feature of these German missiles is their stealth technology, as well as a range of approximately 310 miles. The ability to strike targets hundreds of miles away is often cited by the German authorities as a reason for not transferring this weapon to Ukraine.

Olaf Scholz and Volodymyr Zelensky agreed that Germany has been, and continues to be, an important ally of Ukraine. Another proof of the ongoing support for Kyiv is a new aid package prepared by Berlin, valued at 650 million euros.

As emphasized by the German Chancellor, in December, Ukraine will receive, among other things, a sixth IRIS-T air defense system and Patriot launchers. The German authorities are particularly committed to strengthening Ukraine's air defense.

"Supporting air defense remains crucial for us. We have already delivered five IRIS-T systems, three Patriot systems, and over 50 Gepard guns. [...] The sixth IRIS-T system will be delivered in December, along with additional Patriot launchers," announced Scholz.