EU members show of support for Merz’s Ukraine Taurus offer

Denouncing Russia’s latest attack on Ukraine, which some dubbed a “war crime”, European Union foreign ministers welcomed German chancellor-to-be Friedrich Merz‘s offer to supply Kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles when they met in Luxembourg at the beginning of the week.

In what was likely to be her final meeting with her EU counterparts, Germany’s outgoing Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock did not mince her words. “This terrible attack on Sumi makes it clear that the Russian president intends to continue destroying Ukraine and thus further undermines European peace”, the Green Party politician declared. Other EU member state ministers were equally forceful about the  Russian missile assault that killed 34 people on Sunday.

Lithuania’s representative, Kestutis Budrys, called it a “barbaric war crime”, specifically citing how cluster munitions had been used against civilian targets. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot observed that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin‘s name is already on an international arrest warrant for war crimes. 

Merz himself used the term “serious war crime” in a weekend appearance on ARD TV, noting that the second wave attack had been specifically directed against aid workers caring for the victims of the first attack. “This is what Putin is doing to those who talk to him about a ceasefire”, the chancellor-in-waiting commented as he renewed his offer to supply Ukraine with the Taurus cruise missile. Unlike CPD’s Olaf Scholz, the current chancellor, who has consistently rejected such an offer, Merz maintains that the Ukrainian military needs to go on the attack and to step away from its defensive mode by destroying targets like the Crimean bridge.

Alliance partners are already delivering cruise missiles, the CDU leader pointed out. “The British are doing it, the French are doing it, and the Americans are doing it anyway.” The situation calls for a coordinated delivery system, one in which Germany “should participate”, he said.

“We must do more so that Ukraine can defend itself and civilians do not have to die”, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas declared when asked about the Taurus missile.

The Netherlands representative, Caspar Veldkamp, noted that “long-range Taurus missiles” supplied by Germany would send an “important signal” from Europe that “we also want an end to this terrible war.” Not that this would not come about “on its own”, he said, but it would not “simply take place at the negotiating table while Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine.”

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, agreeing that Ukraine should be given “all the weapons it needs for defence”, did point out that Germany would have to coordinate with France and the U.K. since both currently supply Kyiv with Scalp/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. This system has a range of about 300 kilometres, compared to the 900 km-plus range of the Taurus system. Once Sweden greenlights delivery of its Gripen fighter jets (fitted and certified to carry the Taurus), it too would have to be party to any coordination plan.

All of these possibilities would have to overcome U.S. President Donald Trump‘s resistance since it is unlikely he would support any such deliveries during his protracted peace negotiations with President Putin. After his recent meeting with NATO counterparts, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly indicated that the negotiations with Putin could last “weeks, not months”. 

The Luxembourg meeting revealed that EU foreign ministers’ attempts to pressure Trump more tend toward threats than outright actions. Further sanctions, including a ban on adding more ships to the Russian shadow fleet, are under consideration, while some would like to set a deadline by which Moscow should come to a ceasefire agreement – 20 April or 9 May having been mentioned.  There are also calls to put a final stop to imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In recent weeks, EU foreign policy chief Kallas has had to scale back plans for military support for Kyiv, but the goal of procuring two million artillery shells for Ukraine remains in place. Germany’s commitment to provide a quarter of this remains in place, Foreign Minister Baerbock confirmed in Luxembourg. The Netherlands has pledged “more than 300,000 rounds.” According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung  Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia were among member states to offer further commitments. Kallas said she now has “two-thirds” of her initiative together.