Germany sets conditions for transferring Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, Ukrainian forces admit complete dependence on the US, Russia monitors NATO military activities in Europe... are the latest information related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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| Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russia plans to respond to NATO. (Source: AP) |
The New York Times quoted Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chairwoman of the German Defense Committee and also a lobbyist for the country's defense industry, as saying that Berlin could transfer Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine if Washington provided ATACMS tactical-operational missiles to Kiev.
According to Mr. Zimmermann, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under pressure, he probably wants to end the discussion on supplying Taurus missiles to Kiev. He stated that if Washington transfers ATACMS, Germany can agree to transfer Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
According to the article, the German government is concerned that the Russian Federation will be able to develop systems against Taurus missiles in case Russia captures components of this type of missile on the battlefield.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Germany is delaying plans to deliver high-precision Taurus missiles to Ukraine over concerns about Russia. "The German government has generally approved the delivery of the Taurus, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has put the brakes on the plan over concerns that Germans would have to travel to Ukraine to help maintain and operate the sophisticated weapon," the article said.
According to the newspaper's sources, Chancellor Scholz believes that the presence of German military experts in the combat zone could drag Berlin deeper into the conflict, leading to the risk of direct confrontation with Russia.
* Meanwhile, on October 6, Colonel Yuri Kovalenko, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Special Forces Regiment of the Southern Operations Command of the Ukrainian Army, admitted that "Ukrainian forces are 100% dependent on the US."
According to Colonel Kovalenko, the Ukrainian military has asked the US to continue arms deliveries and even expand supplies to Kiev.
Meanwhile, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin acknowledged that the Ukrainian people are tired of the current conflict.
Earlier, on October 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky linked Washington's aid reduction to the rising "political storm" in the US and urged European Union (EU) member states to act independently in these situations.
However, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that the EU would not be able to make up for the aid suspended by the US.
Western media are reporting more and more frequently that Kiev's allies are growing tired of Ukraine and especially of its leader Zelensky.
On October 4, the French newspaper Le Monde noted that "Mr. Zelensky's magic" was fading as the leader's words were like "water off a duck's back" or annoying partners who were tired of hearing that they "still did not provide enough".
Meanwhile, at the Warsaw Security Forum, Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military Committee Rob Bauer admitted that the arsenal for Ukraine is running out.
* On the Russian side, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the country is monitoring the situation related to NATO's military activities in Europe to plan responses.
Ms. Zakharova stressed that Moscow is monitoring "NATO's buildup of troops and military activity on the alliance's eastern flank, the construction of new routes for the deployment of US forces and equipment in Europe, as well as the establishment of new command structures on NATO's eastern flank."
Russian officials say the deployment is essentially Western air support for forces in eastern Poland, bordering the Russian-Belarusian Union State.
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