Topic: Taurus Missiles

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced a new round of peace talks to be held in Istanbul, though Ukraine has not yet committed to attending. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signaled a shift in policy by lifting range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine, potentially clearing the way for the delivery of Taurus long-range missiles. Russia has warned that such escalations are "dangerous" and provocative.

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to deploy Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine. The Taurus is a German-Swedish air-launched cruise missile that has become a point of contention in European military aid discussions. The segment explores the pressure on Germany to increase its involvement despite fears of escalating the conflict into a broader European war.

Houthi rebels killed three sailors in a missile attack on a commercial freighter, marking the first fatalities since their Red Sea campaign began. Meanwhile, a leaked recording of German military officials discussing the potential use of Taurus missiles in Ukraine has caused a diplomatic crisis for Chancellor Olaf Scholz. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged European allies not to be "cowards" as the conflict enters a critical phase.

German Air Force generals were recorded on an unencrypted Webex call discussing the potential bombing of the Crimean bridge using Taurus cruise missiles. Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised a swift investigation into the security breach, which the German government attributes to Russian wiretapping. The conversation revealed internal debates about supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine and the presence of British and American personnel on the ground.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz officially blocked the supply of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, citing concerns that Germany could become directly involved in the conflict. The decision stems from the missiles' 500-kilometer range and the inability of German forces to remotely monitor target control, amid fears the weaponry could be used to strike Moscow.