The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, has expressed support for Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles as it defends itself against Russia’s invasion, stating that Germany should promptly send its Taurus missile systems to Kyiv.
In an interview published on Saturday by Funke Mediengruppe, Metsola said she supports the delivery of such missiles to Ukraine and believes they should be allowed to target sites in Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a member of the Social Democratic Party, has strongly opposed sending the Taurus missile systems to Ukraine.
However, his coalition partners, the Free Democrats and the Greens, are in favor of sending the missiles to Kyiv.
Discussions regarding missile deliveries have gained momentum in recent days after reports emerged that the United States had authorized Ukraine to use American-made ATACMS missiles to strike Russian targets.
ATACMS missiles can hit targets up to 300 kilometers away, while the German Taurus systems can strike targets up to 500 kilometers away.
According to Metsola, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is right in saying that Ukraine cannot wait endlessly for effective military assistance, as Ukrainians continue to die in battle while Western nations deliberate.
“It is alarming that Russia is escalating the war and intensifying missile attacks, which have already caused many casualties,” she said.
On Thursday, Russia launched a medium-range ballistic missile in Ukraine’s Dnipro region and warned that such strikes could soon target Western Europe.
The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin refers to the war as a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine.
In response, the West has imposed severe sanctions on Russia, targeting its economy.
As a result of the war, thousands have died, and millions have been displaced from their homes.
