Berlin, Nov 23, (dpa/GNA) – EU Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, supports the use of long-range missiles by Ukraine, in its defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion, and said Germany should quickly deliver its long-range Taurus system to Ukraine.
Metsola, in an interview published on Saturday by the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers, said “yes,” when asked whether countries providing long-range missiles to Ukraine should allow it to use them against targets in Russia – and whether Germany should deliver its Taurus weapons system to Ukraine.
“Yes, that is also the position of the EU Parliament. There is broad support for this demand. We will see if there is a corresponding policy change after the Bundestag elections.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat, has been staunchly opposed to sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine. His coalition partners, the pro-business Free Democrats and the Greens however are in favour of sending Kiev the missiles.
With that in mind, Metsola added that perhaps such a policy change could occur even before, noting that “there are also differing positions within the Berlin coalition, regarding the delivery of Taurus.”
Metsola, who is from Malta, is a member of the EU’s Christian Democratic EPP group. In Germany the opposition CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are also EPP members.
The discussion was reignited in recent days, after US President Joe Biden gave permission for the use of American ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometres.
The Taurus has an even greater range of 500 kilometres. Metsola pointed out that the Ukrainian defenders are under time pressure.
GNA