Pistorius: Germany will not send Taurus missiles but reconsidering fighter jets for Ukraine

Germany does not plan to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles but "may reconsider its position" on providing modern Western fighter jets, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told Deutsche Welle on June 5.

"Now we are in a phase of rethinking and checking what is possible and what we want and can do. And I think we will decide within the next two weeks," Pistorius said while on a visit to Indonesia.

Ukraine submitted a request for Germany’s air-launched cruise missiles earlier in May, with some German officials voicing support for the transfer.

Pistorius also noted that forcing an immediate truce between Kyiv and Moscow by stopping weapons supplies for Kyiv "is not a solution."

Russia has to first withdraw all its forces from Ukraine, otherwise, such a truce would effectively mean Russia's success.

"Ukraine is a sovereign country, and it must decide when the time comes for negotiations or something else. It does not depend on us," Pistorius said.

The minister also commented on the alleged use of Western weaponry by Russian anti-Kremlin militias during their incursions in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast.

While Berlin always emphasized that its weapons should not be used in Russian territory, Pistorius added that international law allows such acts in self-defense and that he trusts Ukrainian partners.