Navigating the Shift: Ukraines Newfound Freedom to Strike Russian Targets with Western Arms

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated on Monday that Ukraine’s allies—specifically the UK, the United States, France, and Germany—had removed all limitations on Kyiv’s utilization of Western weaponry to target military sites within Russia. This appeared to be a significant move aimed at empowering Ukraine to defend itself more effectively.

However, the situation took a different turn the following day. On Tuesday, Merz’s deputy and Finance Minister, Lars Klingbeil, clarified to reporters that “There is no new agreement that extends beyond what was established by the previous administration.”

Merz’s predecessor, Olaf Scholz, had previously resisted pressure to provide German-made Taurus missiles to Ukraine, even dismissing the idea during a debate in the February elections, citing concerns about dragging Berlin into direct confrontation with Russia.

Merz’s comments in response to Klingbeil did little to clarify the confusion.

«The restriction on weapon range was a concern a few months and even years ago. To my knowledge, and as I mentioned yesterday, the countries imposing those range restrictions have long abandoned such policies,» he stated at a press conference in Finland.

«In this regard, what I referred to yesterday in Berlin reflects a reality that has been developing over several months: Ukraine reserves the right to utilize the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders, against military targets situated in Russia,» he further elaborated.

Kyiv has been pressing Germany for the Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometers away—significantly further than the British Storm Shadow, French SCALP, and American ATACMS missiles already at Ukraine’s disposal.

Despite Merz’s previous support for their provision during his time in opposition, it remains uncertain whether the German Taurus missiles will be added to the arsenal of Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Merz stated that Germany would refrain from publicly discussing the issue of Taurus missiles—a decision partially driven by strategic considerations.

Merz pointed out that President Vladimir Putin’s fluency in German, acquired from his KGB service in East Germany, presents a challenge. If disagreements over the Taurus missiles create rifts within Merz’s coalition government—or between parliamentary parties—it may offer Russia an opportunity to weaken public confidence in German leadership.

Nonetheless, both Merz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius have criticized opposing views that express concern about becoming a belligerent against a nuclear power. Only 36% of Germans in 2024 were in favor of sending the weapons to Ukraine, with a majority doubtful about increasing military expenditures.

A report from the Institute for the Study of War, based in the U.S., identified over 200 military targets within Russia that fall within the 300-kilometer range of weapons currently accessible to Kyiv. Taurus missiles could potentially extend this reach as far as Volgograd—and possibly approach Moscow.

Still, experts have warned against the notion that Taurus alone could significantly alter the course of the war.

“No single weapon is a magical solution,” stated Ed Stringer, a retired Air Marshal and former director of Britain’s Joint Force Command, in comments to The Moscow Times. “However, it’s a critical error to think that just because no one weapon can win a war, all weapons are unnecessary.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked on Monday that removing missile range restrictions would be perilous for Ukraine and its allies, stating, «If such decisions have been made, they are entirely contrary to our goal of achieving a political resolution.»

For years, Moscow has cautioned that the use of Western armaments to strike objectives on Russian territory poses an escalation risk. Nevertheless, British Storm Shadow missiles have been utilized since 2023 to target locations in occupied Crimea and the Zaporizhzhia region, which Russia claims as its own. Peter Dickinson from the Atlantic Council think tank noted that this situation “mocked” Russia’s declared red lines in the conflict.

The Biden administration gave Ukraine the go-ahead to target sites in Russia with U.S.-made ATACMS missiles in November 2024. Later that year, three lieutenant colonels of the Russian Air Force were killed in a Storm Shadow attack in the Kursk region of Russia. However, there have been no confirmed accounts of French SCALP missiles being deployed against internationally recognized Russian territories.