Candidates for Chancellor of Germany argued about the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine

The candidate for chancellor of Germany from the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel, said during the election debate that she would prevent the head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, Friedrich Merz, from delivering Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

During the debate on the German NTV channel, a discussion arose between the two candidates. As Weidel noted, Germany missed its chance to participate in the international peacekeeping forces in the future. Ukraine. The politician explained this by the fact that Moscow does not perceive Berlin as neutral. Her words angered Merz.

"No, Ms. Weidel, we are not neutral. We are not standing aside. We are on the side of Ukraine... And your words that you have just uttered for me are confirmation that I will do everything to prevent you from ever taking political responsibility into your own hands in this country," Merz commented on Weidel's words

To this, Weidel said that her party would not allow the Taurus to be delivered to Kiev.

"We will prevent you from delivering Taurus and turning (Germany) into a participant in the war — what you demand," she said.

Merz, who is applying for the post of chancellor, had previously expressed readiness, if elected, to put forward an "ultimatum" to Russia to stop attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure within 24 hours, and otherwise deliver Taurus long-range missiles to Kiev.

Early elections in Germany will be held on February 23. According to the latest poll by the INSA Institute, the AFD is in second place with a rating of 21%, the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union bloc (CDU/CSU) remains the most popular political force with support of 30%, and the Social Democrats of the incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz are third with a rating of 15%.

Germany is the second largest arms supplier to the Ukraine after the USA. In early February, an official representative of the German cabinet told reporters that Germany had allocated about 44 billion euros to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict.