Germany has no plans to supply Ukraine with TAURUS missiles — Pistorius

He made the remarks to journalists in Kyiv on June 12.

“You asked me if we are considering this [missile supply], and my answer is: no,” the minister said.

In turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Germany for delivering the Iris-T air defense systems. He also noted that weapon deliveries to Kyiv have been planned for the next three years.

“We understand that supplies are being planned now. I won’t go into details, but there is a plan for the next three years. This is very important help for us. That doesn’t mean the war will last that long. We want the war to end, but we still need to protect our land and the safety of our people with quality air defense systems. I’m grateful that we have a shared understanding to implement this project over the next three years,” Zelenskyy said.

He also mentioned Ukraine’s interest in German investments.

“Today we discussed that this assistance will continue, and there are certain things we really count on. We agreed on additional investments in production, continuing our discussions with Friedrich [Merz],” the president said. “Regarding investments in production, we are talking both about manufacturing in Ukraine and production and sales in Germany,” he added.

For context, Ukraine has been requesting TAURUS cruise missiles from Germany for over a year. These missiles, with a range of up to 500 kilometers, would allow Ukraine to target strategic sites deep behind Russian lines, including bridges, supply depots, and command centers. Such missiles could significantly enhance Ukraine’s ability to deliver precise strikes and disrupt enemy logistics, especially in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to provide TAURUS missiles, citing risks of escalation and a reluctance to drag Germany deeper into the war. He stressed that these missiles require direct involvement of German specialists, which, in his view, could lead to the Bundeswehr’s direct participation in the conflict. Political debate continues within Germany: while some parliament members and defense experts support supplying the missiles, the new government remains cautious, as did its predecessor.

• German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has arrived in Kyiv for political talks.