Ukraine’s leader says the chancellor wants the missiles to defend Germany — which is not the version of events given to the German public.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for refusing to provide Kyiv with German-made Taurus cruise missiles and suggested the reluctance is based on his desire to keep the weapons for Berlin’s own defense against a threat from Russia.

“As far as I understand, the chancellor believes that, as he is a representative of a non-nuclear state, this is is the only weapon that Germany has, is the most powerful one,” Zelenskyy said of the Taurus missiles in an interview with Axel Springer, POLITICO’s parent company. “He shared messages with me saying that he cannot leave his country without such a powerful weapon,” Zelenskyy added of Scholz.

Germany’s government, however, presents its public with quite different logic for not sending the weapons. Scholz has steadfastly refused to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine, saying in public statements that such a move could lead to an escalation of the war and could even draw Germany into direct conflict with Russia.

  • @avater
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    7 months ago

    I dont like Sholz’s explanation, if you even want to call it one, but I also don’t think we keep them as a last line of defense, as Zelenskyy is framing it, since we have our NATO allies who can handle Russia with ease if they do something more stupid, than they already do.

    In fact most germans dont know why we are not sending Taurus to Ukraine or understand the reasons behind this decision, but I think Ukraine will ultimately get them like they did get our other weapons and tanks. It’s just this unnecessary long process of our politicians that I absolut hate and do not unterstand, since we have to stop those Russians by any means and as fast as possible to prevent further casualites…

  • @[email protected]
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    27 months ago

    I think the actual reasoning is political perception: As long as there’s something we’re not sending people like Zarenknecht and sympathisers within the SPD can’t frame him as warmonger. The Generals certainly didn’t seem particularly worried about Germany’s defence when discussing how to brief politicians about Taurus.

    • Flying SquidM
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      7 months ago

      In what way should they ask for help? Does Zelensky need to bow so that his forehead scrapes the ground?

      • @[email protected]
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        -277 months ago

        Maybe he should stop bullying everyone that already helps him. I kno a lot of people here love him and his country just for being not russia. For me, Zelensky is a greedy and unthankful man, but that is a very unpopular opinion that will get me even more downvotes.

        • Flying SquidM
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          147 months ago

          How is he bullying people? I’m pretty sure he’s not in a position to bully anyone right now.

          • @[email protected]
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            107 months ago

            Yeah, fuck Zelenskyy for being rabidly pro-Ukraine. It’s not like it’s his job or anything.

            • Flying SquidM
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              57 months ago

              I don’t even understand the criticism. I really don’t. How is he bullying people? What is wrong with the way he asks for help?

        • @dezmd
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          17 months ago

          And who are you, exactly?

    • @[email protected]
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      87 months ago

      I love it. American weapons + Ukrainian courage destroyed soooo many drunk orks its amazing, and it showed how shitty Russia is as a fighting force and a people.

    • @[email protected]
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      7 months ago

      Eh. I dislike how world leaders aren’t saying the quiet part out loud: Ukraine doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning.

      • Flying SquidM
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        7 months ago

        It seems like you’re suggesting Ukraine just roll over and let Russia plow over them.

        • @[email protected]
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          -57 months ago

          I didn’t suggest anything.

          Do you want to ask me if I think Ukraine should “just roll over and let Russia plow over them”? Then ask that, lol.

          • Flying SquidM
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            57 months ago

            I thought that question was suggested by the post and wasn’t necessary, but sure- should Ukraine just roll over and let Russia plow over them?

            Because I’m not sure what else saying they don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell implies.

            • @[email protected]
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              -77 months ago

              Ukraine should and most likely will surrender without intervention by foreign militaries.

              “Rolling over and letting Russia plow them” means to me that they would let Russia massacre them without fighting back. I do not think Ukraine should do this, but it’s also not wording I would ever use because it is hyperbolic and ambiguous.

              • Flying SquidM
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                37 months ago

                So you’re saying that they should do that, just not in the way I worded it?

                • @[email protected]
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                  -47 months ago

                  “Rolling over and letting Russia plow them” means to me that they would let Russia massacre them without fighting back. I do not think Ukraine should do this, but it’s also not wording I would ever use because it is hyperbolic and ambiguous.

                  This is why you should let people use their own words instead of speaking for them.

                  You have a bad habit of doing the latter.

      • @[email protected]
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        17 months ago

        What defines winning? Stopping the Russian plan to conquer all of Ukraine in 3 days? They won that. Getting EU/NATO candidacy? They won that as well. Ensuring the long-time existence of Ukraine? That’s up in the air still.

        That said, if this is Russia winning, they must really look bad when losing.

        • @[email protected]
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          -57 months ago

          Ensuring the long-time existence of Ukraine?

          Yes, the only thing that actually matters out of the 3 you mentioned.

          That said, if this is Russia winning, they must really look bad when losing.

          Irrelevant and hyperbole.

          • @[email protected]
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            37 months ago

            It’s not hyperbole. Russia’s stated political goal was to reclaim Ukraine into their sphere of influence, strengthen a new eastern bloc and discourage its neighbours from joining NATO.

            Ukraine is at best pending, and there was an attempted coup, a metric fuckton of military equipment losses, and it’s still very much up in the air.

            They lost CSTO with not being able to back their allies up in the Armenian-Azerbaijani war.

            They also got Finland and Sweden to join NATO, so they have more NATO borders than ever, and on top of that, Europe is waking the fuck up and remilitarizing, whereas NATO was treated as a relic before.

            Russia lost a ton, and it is a good question whether it will gain anything out of this whole thing.

            • @[email protected]
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              -57 months ago

              Weird. Even if they win, they lose in your mind.

              I guess there’s no arguing with people like you.

              • @[email protected]
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                17 months ago

                What would they win? It’s not “the West” moving goalposts again and again. For them, it was always “keep Ukraine democratic and free from Russian influence”. That’s a question whether that will happen.

                How does Russia win? What is a winning scenario for them?

              • @avater
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                7 months ago

                Weird. Even if they win, they lose in your mind.

                Yup. This sums up the Russian situation pretty good. They lost a lot, gained nothing so far except a new and stronger NATO and are facing new sanctions every day.

                that’s the definition of FUBAR 😊