In the vote in the Bundestag requested by the Union, a majority again spoke out against “Taurus” deliveries to Ukraine. For the Greens and FDP, however, it was partly a question of principle rather than conviction.
Once again, the Union failed in the Bundestag with a motion to enforce the delivery of “Taurus” cruise missiles to Ukraine. However, a clear majority of MPs spoke out against this form of military support.
A total of 687 parliamentarians voted on the motion. Of these, 494 MPs voted against the deliveries, 188 were in favor. Five MPs abstained. Since the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag has 197 members, the CDU and CSU would also have needed votes from other parties in order to obtain a majority for their proposal.
“There is no third way”
Immediately before the vote, the deputy chairman of the Union parliamentary group, Johann Wadephul, strongly advocated making “Taurus” deliveries to the Ukrainian army possible. Determination and clarity are needed in supporting Ukraine. “We will win with Ukraine or lose with Ukraine. There is no third way,” said Wadephul.
The prudence that Chancellor Olaf Scholz always attributes to himself when weighing up a decision is, from the CDU politician’s point of view, the wrong approach. Russian President Vladimir Putin never “reacted positively” to this kind of restraint, emphasized Wadephul: “Your supposed level-headedness has only fueled Mr Putin’s aggression against Ukraine. That is the result.”
In the run-up to the Bundestag session, CDU leader Friedrich Merz and CDU foreign politician Norbert Röttgen also sharply criticized Scholz. The Chancellor had repeatedly reiterated his no to the “Taurus” deliveries and justified his stance by saying that there should be no direct participation in the war by the Bundeswehr or NATO.
Some greens for delivery
But not everyone within the traffic light coalition shares the Chancellor’s view. There are definitely supporters of the “Taurus” deliveries among both the Greens and the FDP. The deputy leader of the Green Party, Agnieszka Brugger, also made this clear in the Bundestag. “The truth is that hesitation and hesitation can ultimately contribute to escalation,” she emphasized in her speech, referring to France and Great Britain.
Both countries supply similar types of missiles to Ukraine. Great Britain began delivering “Storm Shadow” cruise missiles last May, and Ukraine received its first “Scalp” cruise missile from France in July. Brugger emphasized that this support did not lead to an escalation in the war in Ukraine or to the missiles being fired at Moscow. Your party would carefully weigh all the risks of a possible “Taurus” delivery. “And we as the Greens won’t let anyone deny us that, not even the Chancellor,” said the parliamentary group vice-president, directly criticizing Scholz.
Nevertheless, for the Greens, the coalition goes beyond approving “Taurus” deliveries – Brugger also emphasized this. Therefore, her group will vote against the Union’s motion.
A decision by the federal government
A similar mood is emerging in the FDP. It has long been known that there are also supporters of the “Taurus” support for Ukraine among the liberals. For example, FDP defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann voted for the Union’s first proposal in February.
And the chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Christian Dürr, also said of his party’s view: “We think it’s the right thing to do, no question about it, but in reality these symbolic proposals don’t get us any further.” The federal government, not the Bundestag, decides whether to deliver the cruise missiles. And that is why his group will also vote with a unanimous no against the proposal from the CDU and CSU.
Show a “clear edge” against Putin
The defense policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group sounded more critical. Germany must support Ukraine “with everything we can muster,” demanded Alexander Müller – and “Taurus” is one of them. The federal government must “take a clear stance” against Putin; the Russian head of state would see anything else as “submissiveness.”
The AfD faction clearly rejected the option of supplying “Taurus” cruise missiles to Ukraine. That would mean a “prolongation of the war” and endanger Germany, warned parliamentary group leader Tino Chrupalla. “We are not yet perceived as a war party – yet,” he further emphasized and appealed to the Chancellor not to allow himself to be “blackmailed” by the “warmongers” in the ranks of the CDU, Greens and FDP.
“Turning times are not for political players”
Scholz received clear support from his SPD faction for his handling of the “Taurus” issue. There is a need for “consideration and clarity,” warned parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich. He highlighted the comprehensive support that Germany is already providing for Ukraine – from humanitarian aid and emergency aid to the protection that refugees from Ukraine received in the Federal Republic.
The leader of the Social Democrats’ faction spoke out strongly against the Union parties: The “small-scale debate” about the “Taurus” deliveries was characterized by “selfish and base motives.” Mützenich emphasized: “Turning times are not for political players.” It is important to think not only about how a war is fought, but also about how to “freeze it and end it later.”