Germany Under Pressure, Voices Caution On Western Escalations In Ukraine

Top German officials expressed concern regarding Western escalations in Ukraine and signaled Berlin will push back against the most provocative proposals.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany was reluctant to send longer-range weapons to Ukraine as the arms may be used to attack Russian territory. London has provided Kiev with Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles which have a range of more than 155 miles. According to recent reporting, the White House is closing in on a decision to send Army Tactical Missile Systems, also known as ATACMS, to Ukraine. These rockets can be fired roughly 200 miles. 

Last month, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu warned the West that Ukraine using long-range weapons to attack the Crimean Peninsula could lead to a direct war between Moscow and NATO. "The use of these missiles outside the zone of our special military operation would mean that the United States and Britain would be fully dragged into the conflict and would entail immediate strikes on decision-making centers in Ukraine," he said.

Berlin is now receiving requests from Kiev to provide Taurus KEPD 350 missiles, an air-launched missile with a range of over 300 miles. Scholz said Germany is considering the request. 

Germany has been the subject of intense pressure throughout the war due to Berlin’s reluctance, at times, to provide Kiev with all requested aid. However, in several instances, Berlin has caved to Kiev’s demands. In one example, Germany resisted sending its Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine. After Poland, the UK and the US pledged to send advanced tanks, Germany sent Ukraine dozens of its Leopard 2 main battle tanks. 

Some of the German tanks have already been destroyed on the battlefield and Kiev is asking Berlin for replacements. Meanwhile, the American Abrams tanks have not yet arrived in Ukraine. 

Berlin is additionally pushing back on plans to give Ukraine an official timeline for membership in NATO at a summit in Vilnius next week. In an interview published in Rzeczpospolita on Monday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the alliance will be unable to determine the conditions for Kiev to join the alliance until after the conclusion of the war with Russia. 

"In my recent meetings with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, we were once again in agreement that the Alliance must never become a party to a conflict," He continued, "Therefore, we will not be able to answer the question of Ukraine’s accession to NATO as long as the war continues in Ukraine."

Pistorius went on to explain that Germany is committed to supporting Ukraine’s war effort for as long as the conflict continues. He said Berlin would be delivering dozens of older Leopard 1 tanks to Kiev in the coming weeks.